PHC restrains NAB from arresting AWKU VC

700 appointments case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday restrained the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from arresting and harassing Abdul Wali Khan University’s Vice-Chancellor Dr Ihsan Ali in an inquiry concerning 700 appointments in the university.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel issued the restraining order in a writ petition filed by the vice-chancellor of the university located in Mardan.

However, the court directed the vice-chancellor to cooperate with the NAB in the inquiry about the appointments. The court also issued notice to the NAB and sought reply from it before the next hearing into the case.

During the hearing, the petitioners’ lawyer, Qazi Muhammad Anwar, submitted before the bench, which also included Justice Irshad Qaiser, that the NAB had approved an inquiry into the 700 appointments in the Abdul Wali Khan University.

He said the NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through a notice had called the vice-chancellor to appear in the NAB office for an inquiry in the appointments case. He submitted that the petitioner feared that he would be arrested by the NAB if he appeared for inquiry in the NAB regional office in Peshawar.

Qazi Anwar said his client was ready to provide the relevant record about the appointments to the NAB, but he should not be arrested and harassed during the investigation.

The chief justice observed that the NAB should not unnecessarily summon the official to its office and it should follow the law and Constitution while dealing with the cases.

Some three years ago, assistant professor of Government Postgraduate College Mardan, Meraj Khan had also challenged the appointments made in Abdul Wali Khan University in the high court and claimed that all the appointments including that of registrar, controller examination and to the lower grades were made illegally and on political basis.