June 12, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 11, 1424

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PESHAWAR, June 11: An accountability appellate bench of the Peshawar High Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in an appeal filed by former provincial minister Mr Habibur Rehman Tanoli, challenging his conviction by an accountability court.

The appellant was convicted by the accountability court No. 3, on Aug 1, 2002, for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment with a fine of Rs50 million. In case of non-payment of fine the court had ordered forfeiture of his properties to the state.

Mr Tanoli had twice served as the provincial minister. He was provincial minister for religious affairs from 1988 to 1990, whereas from 1993 to 1996 he served as provincial minister for local bodies and rural development.

Advocate Zaffar Abbas Zaidi appeared for the appellant and argued that the evidence on record was not enough to connect the appellant with the commission of offence under section 9 of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance, 1999.

He argued that the appellant had brought on record the evidence to prove that the properties possessed by him were acquired through just means and not through corrupt practices.

The bench, comprising Justice Shahjehan Khan and Justice Ijazul Hassan, reserved the order after completion of arguments.

The appellant had earlier faced trial in three other references. He was acquitted by the accountability court in two of the references and convicted in the third one. But his appeal in that reference was accepted and he was acquitted by the high court. This is the fourth reference in which he has been charged by NAB.

BAIL GRANTED: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court granted bail to an industrialist from Punjab, Seth Nisar Ahmad, arrested by NAB on charges of evading customs duty and defaulting on loans acquired from a bank.

The bench, comprising Justice Khalida Rachied and Justice Qazi Ahsanullah Qureshi, directed that the accused-petitioner should be released after furnishing two sureties of Rs10 million each.

Advocate M. Sardar Khan appeared for the petitioner, and argued that he was entitled to be granted bail on medical ground.

The petitioner was arrested from Lahore on Aug 21, 2002.