Parallel enquiry: Ehtesab Commission restrained from arrests

Petitioners tell PHC commission pursuing case already taken up by NAB.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court restrained Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission from arresting former University of Peshawar office-bearers in a purchase of land case on Tuesday.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Daud Khan issued the directives. Former UoP vice chancellor Dr Azmat Hayat, director administration Shereen Zada Khattak and treasurer Sanaullah filed a petition against the commission’s enquiry with the high court through their counsel Fazal Karim Kundi.

During the course of hearing, Kundi told the court his clients were accused of misappropriation while purchasing land for university employees at the cost of Rs265,000 per half an acre. He said National Accountability was investigating the case when the commission initiated a parallel enquiry.

“The commission asked my clients to appear in the instant case and explain their position. Two government agencies cannot investigate a case simultaneously,” he said.

He requested the court to stop the commission from pursuing the case as it was against the law.

Upon hearing the arguments, the court issued a temporary stay and stopped the Ehtesab Commission from arresting the aforementioned, directing the commission’s K-P director general to submit a written response before the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2015.