NAB put on notice over plea seeking annulment of case proceedings

Karachi
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau, deputy attorney general and others on a petition filed by a businessman, seeking cancellation of proceedings initiated against him with regard to a case pertaining to a purchase contract for products for the Sindh Information Department.
Petitioner Ajaz Ahmed submitted that he was awarded a contract to supply hardware and software products to the information department but was made part of an investigation initiated against the officials of the department.
He requested the court to quash the proceedings as well as challenged the NAB’s authority to inquire or investigate in to public servants of a provincial government.
SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar directed the petitioner’s counsel to satisfy the court with respect to the locus standi of the petitioner to challenge the entire proceedings of the NAB. The court issued notices to NAB and others and called in their comments by July 23.

No coercive action
The SHC directed the police and other concerned authorities to not take any coercive action against the petitioner Sohail Munir, awarded the contract to install police’s video surveillance system across the province, after consultant Sanaullah Habib, whose services he hired, was picked up by Rangers’ personnel from his office - his whereabouts remain unknown.
Expressing apprehension of arrest, he prayed to court to order law enforcement agencies’ from taking any aggressive action against him or his business.
The court adjourning the matter till July 13 stayed the police and other concerned authorities to not take any action against the petitioner till the next date of hearing.

Detention cases
The SHC issued notices to federal and provincial law officers on petitions against illegal detentions of citizens allegedly by the law enforcement agencies personnel.
Petitioner Ajmal Khan, Munir Ahmed, Gul Hasan, Nighat Rizwan submitted that Rangers officials picked Naik Ajmal, Mohammad Younus, Asghar Ali and Naeem Mansoor Khan from Shah Latif Town, Orangi Town, New Karachi and North Nazimabad areas respectively.
They said that neither the detainees were produced before any court of law nor were their arrests made official.
The court issued notices to federal and provincial law officers, IG Sindh, Rangers and others and called in their comments by July 16.