PHC re-issues notice to Ehtesab Commission DG

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday re-issued a notice to director general of Ehtesab Commission Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a writ petition filed by the Abdul Wali Khan University’s registrar against the commission’s inquiry into appointments, annual audit report, expenditure and payment in different schemes.
A division bench comprising of Justice Irshad Qaiser and Justice Roohul Amin Khan issued the notice to director general and director investigation of Ehtesab Commission. The bench sought replies in the writ petition.
The bench extended the stay order in the petition, restraining the Ehtesab Commission from the inquiry and arresting officials of the university. In-charge legal cell of the university, Mian Salimur Rehman, and treasurer Muhammad Tariq appeared in the case. Abdul Latif Afridi advocate appeared for the university.
The NAB chairman, its director general, Ehtesab Commission DG and director investigation of the commission were made parties in the petition. The petition stated that the NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had already started an inquiry into appointments and the case is pending before the NAB.
It said that when NAB inquiry is under process, then the Ehtesab Commission has no power and jurisdiction to start another inquiry in the same matters.
Senior prosecutor of the commission said the commission had decided to transfer the case again to the NAB and in the light of the decision, a letter was submitted in the court regarding transfer of the case to the NAB. However, the Ehtesab Commission did not submit written reply in the court.
Deputy prosecutor general of NAB Muhammad Jamil Khan said the NAB had started an inquiry against Dr Ihsan Ali, vice-chancellor of Abdul Wali Khan University, for massive irregularities and about 1,400 illegal appointments from low to high grades in the university.