PHC disposes of writ by JUI-F leader as KPEC says inquiry closed

Assets case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday disposed of a writ petition of former senator and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F leader Ghulam Ali after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) submitted a letter in the court regarding closure of inquiry against him in the assets case.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Roohul Amin Khan disposed of the writ petition after Additional Deputy Prosecutor General of Ehtesab Commission, Zahid Aman, produced a letter in the court and informed that the commission had closed inquiry against the former senator.

However, earlier the court had stopped the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission from arresting the former senator and JUI-F leader in assets case. The commission had sought asset details from the former senator some months ago.

On previous hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer, Qazi Jawad Ahsanullah, had said a KPEC official telephoned his client on October 12, 2015 and asked him to visit his office and that when he went there, he was given a document to file details of his assets within four days. He said no written call-up notice was issued to the petitioner.

The lawyer said 14 years ago, his client was arrested by the NAB on the charge of possessing Rs315 million assets disproportionate to his known sources of income but an accountability court acquitted him on April 8, 2009, and that the judgment was later upheld by the high court.

Qazi Jawad said his client remained a councillor of Peshawar Municipal Corporation on various occasions till 1990. He said in 2005, his client became the district nazim of Peshawar under the new local government system but resigned from the post to contest the Senate elections in 2009.

The lawyer said the NAB had also initiated an inquiry on the allegations of his client’s involvement in sale and purchase of certain properties when he was the district nazim of Peshawar. He, however, said nothing could be proved against him and therefore, the said inquiry was closed in 2014.

Qazi Jawad said when his client was cleared of all charges after 14-year-long legal battle, the KPEC had begun inquiry into his assets, which was a closed chapter. He said the intent behind proceedings against his client was mala fide on part of the high-ups of the commission.