Judiciary and press state pillars – won’t allow to shake them, remarks LHC

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) remarked on Monday judiciary and press were two fundamental pillars of the state and it would not be allowed to shake them, as the court sought reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition challenging the arrest of Jang Group and Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

A division bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh heard the petition filed by Shahina Shakil, wife of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. Chairman NAB, Director-General NAB, judges of the accountability court, and others have been named in the petition challenging the detention.

The court sought para-wise comments from the NAB till March 26 on the petition, and also allowed Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman to meet family, lawyers and personal physician.

Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan represented the petitioner and submitted Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman completely cooperated with the bureau and appeared twice before the NAB team on being summoned. He mentioned the bureau’s team did not provide any specific questionnaire to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, enabling him to satisfy them regarding allegations levelled against him. He stated Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman appeared before the NAB team on March 12 but

he was arrested.

While assailing the arrest, he argued although the case record was available in the NAB Lahore, the chairman issued arrest warrants from Islamabad on the same day and time. He also questioned physical remand of the Jang Group and Geo’s Editor-in-Chief by an accountability court.

In response to a court query, Aitzaz submitted he had read in newspaper former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also been summoned in the matter. At that stage, the court observed the bureau should have asked questions from Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and recorded his statement after a NAB prosecutor admitted the matter was still at inquiry stage. “If he fails to reply, then steps should have been taken in accordance with the law,” the court added.

Subsequently, the court issued notices to the bureau for March 26 and sought para-wise comments. The NAB prosecutor assured the court Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman would be allowed to meet his family, lawyer and doctor as per law, besides access to medicines and newspapers.

The petitioner had challenged the arrest and physical remand of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, saying it was a violation of 2019 businessmen policy. She had pleaded with the court to set aside the arrest warrants and remand.

The NAB had on Thursday arrested the Editor-in-Chief of Jang and Geo Media Group in connection with property allegedly bought illegally from a government entity more than three decades ago. The property was in fact bought from a private party 34 years ago and all evidence of this was given to the NAB and legal requirements fulfilled, such as duty and taxes.

According to a Jang Group spokesperson, the appearance before the NAB was in a relation to a call-up notice for the verification of the complaint, yet an arrest was made. Islamabad High Court’s recent judgment against NAB’s violation of the country’s law and a violation of NAB’s own rules has been committed.