Alleged irregularities: Court rejects former PTDC chief’s pre-arrest bail plea

Denies request to have named removed from ECL.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday rejected a pre-arrest bail application of former Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) managing director regarding alleged financial irregularities and illegal appointments in his tenure.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi and Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui heard the case.

Former PTDC head Shah Jehan Khetran was removed from his post on December 1, 2013 and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) later initiated an investigation into irregularities he allegedly committed during his tenure. Last week, the court had reserved its decision on the petition filed by the petitioner’s counsel Farook H Naek.

The petitioner’s counsel had contended that NAB has initiated a fabricated case against his client based on mala fide intentions. According to the bureau, the accused was involved in financial mismanagement, illegal recruitments and illegally leasing out PTDC properties.

The same bench rejected Khetran’s plea and also rejected the petitioner’s request to have his name removed from the exit control list (ECL).

Lakhvi’s bail hearing adjourned

The same bench adjourned hearing into a case seeking cancellation of bail granted by a trial court to the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

On December 18, 2014, an Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) granted bail to Lakhvi, however, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has filed an application in the IHC challenging the bail.

The FIA has maintained that the accused is an influential person and if his bail was not revoked, he may influence the proceedings in the trial court.

On Monday, when the bench took up the matter,  FIA Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar told the court that since the whole trial record of the suspect was with the IHC, proceedings of the case at the trial court may be affected.

In response, the IHC bench ordered to dispatch the record to the ATC and said the court could issue directives for reproduction of the record when the case was taken up again.

Lakhvi’s counsel, Rizwan Abbasi, argued that his client was implicated in the case in light of a confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab, the main suspect in the case who was later hanged in India.

He argued that the IHC may direct the authorities to produce the judgment of an Indian court in this regard.

Justice Siddiqui observed how it was possible for authorities to produce the judgment of an Indian court. The court asked Lakhvi’s counsel if he gets a copy of the judgment, then, he could submit it.

The bench adjourned the case till March 2.

Currently, Lakhvi is in Adiala Jail along with six other suspects allegedly involved in the Mumbai attacks.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2015.