ISLAMABAD, Aug 23: Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday quashed an FIR registered against the chairman and other senior officials of the Securities and Exchange Commission Pakistan (SECP).

The FIR had been registered by the Kohsar police on the complaint of SECP’s deputy director Rana Mustafa Yousaf.

Mr Mustafa had been appointed in the SECP last year but his job had not been confirmed even after the six-month probation period.

Therefore, as per his contract’s terms, Mustafa could not continue the job because his appointment had not been confirmed.

Consequently, Mustafa filed a petition in the IHC and obtained a stay order against the SECP.

However, when he went to the SECP building in Islamabad on June 28, he was stopped at the reception and was not allowed to enter the offices.

Mustafa then filed a complaint before the Kohsar police seeking registration of a case against SECP officials, but the police refused.

Therefore, he filed a petition before the additional sessions judge Islamabad.

Hearing the petition on August 3, the additional sessions judge ordered for an FIR to be registered against Chairman SECP Tahir Mehmood, Commissioner Zafar Abdullah and Director Abid Hussain.

In response, the SECP officials moved a petition in the IHC to quash the FIR and on August 6, the IHC suspended the session court’s order.

On Friday, deputy attorney general (DAG) Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri told the court that Mustafa should have filed a contempt of court petition when the session court’s order was not implemented. Instead, he had directly approached the police to register the FIR.

He said the FIR against SECP officials could not be registered as the court could only pass the appropriate order after Mustafa had filed a contempt petition against SECP officials.

The court, after hearing SECP, Mustafa and the federal government, quashed the said FIR.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.