SECP data leak: Probe committee challenged in IHC

ISLAMABAD: Additional Director Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Arsalan Zafar Friday petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the constitution of a committee to investigate allegations of sensitive data leak. The petitioner said he was sent on forced leave on September 9 besides seizure of his laptop.

The petitioner claimed that he had submitted a detailed response to the investigation committee on September 14. The petition read that inclusion of SECP Additional Joint Director Information Technology (IT) Haroon-ul-Rasheed was made in violation of the law and the probe report was against facts and completely based on assumptions.

He also prayed the court to nullify the investigation committee and issuance of a show-cause notice to him in light of the probe report. Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Justice Athar Minallah has formed a bench to hear Arsalan Zafar’s petition. The chief justice will hear the petition on Saturday (today).

On September 23, the SECP issued show-cause notices to its senior officers, including additional and joint directors, in connection with an investigation into the data leak. The show-cause notices were served on Additional Director Market Surveillance Arsalan Zafar, Joint Director Information Technology Muhammad Sohail, Deputy Director IT Hammad Ahmed, Assistant Joint Director Companies Registration Sadiq Shah, Assistant Joint Director Companies Registration Adil Ali and Jamal Zaidi. A total of 10 officers have reportedly been served show-cause notices.