PHC restrains NAB from arresting former PTB chief

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday restrained the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from harassment and arrest of former chairman Pakistan Tobacco Board Sahibzada Muhammad Khalid, a grade-22 retired officer, till next order of the court.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan issued the restraining order in a writ petition.

During the course of hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer, Farmanullah Khattak submitted before the bench that the NAB had earlier issued call up notice to the petitioner in an inquiry regarding illegal appointments in the Pakistan Tobacco Board in the year 2010-11.

The lawyer submitted that the NAB has arrested Nauman Bashir, former secretary of Pakistan Tobacco Board on August 31, 2016 in the appointments case and during his custody, the NAB investigation officer informed the accountability court that warrant of arrest of the petitioner has been sent to chairman NAB as he was grade-22 officer and will soon be arrested.

The lawyer submitted that the petitioner as former chairman of the Pakistan Tobacco Board was fully cooperating with the NAB in the inquiry, but after the statement of Investigation Officer he feared to be arrested by the NAB.  He said that the NAB had issued him a call up notice in January 21, 2016 regarding illegal appointments in the PTB, which was also illegal.