Bail granted to varsity VCs

Former PPP minister also released on bail

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court ordered the release of vice chancellor for Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) and former vice chancellor of Hazara University, Mansehra, on interim bail in corruption cases.

The division bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Irshad Qaiser ordered the release of vice chancellor for AWKUM Dr Ihsan Ali, former vice chancellor for Hazara University Syed Sakhawat Shah and former HU registrar Muqarrab Shah on interim bail on the condition of paying sureties worth Rs1 million each.

Qazi Muhammad Anwar and Abdul Latif Afridi, attorneys representing the rectors, told the court that National Accountability Bureau arrested their clients on charges of registering Northern Institute of Medical Sciences without following proper procedures.

Anwar said his clients were highly qualified educationists and have played a great role in promoting education in the province. “NAB itself did not ask for the physical custody of my clients on the very first day of their arrest,” he said.

“When NAB admitted to have completed the investigation, then there is no need to arrest the accused,” Anwar argued. “The Supreme Court had decided in a case that when the investigation is completed, the accused can be granted bail,” he added.

The court, on hearing the arguments, granted interim bail to Dr Ihsan Ali, Sakhawat and Muqarrab against bail bonds of Rs1 million each. The court also sought comments from the NAB chairman.

Mining scam updates

Also released on bail was former additional secretary for minerals Asamatullah Gandapur, currently serving as commissioner for Bannu. Asmatullah was arrested in a mining scam worth Rs360 million.

However, in the same case, the court adjourned the hearing of the bail petition filed by former minister for mines and technical education Nawabzada Mehmood Zeb to October 1 along with that of Ehteshamul Mulk, Zeb’s first cousin.

According to NAB, Zeb and his accomplices misused their authority and illegally allotted 500 acres of proven deposits of phosphate, jointly causing a loss of Rs360 million to the national exchequer.

Also, the same bench ordered the release of former PPP minister for revenue Syed Mureed Kazim on condition of paying a bail bond of Rs2 million.

Kazim along with the current Lakki Marwat AC Qayyum Nawaz, District Revenue Officer Riaz Muhammad and Provincial Board of Revenue Assistant Gul Hassan were arrested for illegally transfering 1,976 kanals of government land in DI Khan in the name of Naval Families Rehabilitation Organization in 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2015.