PESHAWAR: As a local ehtesab court on Thursday extended the remand of mines minister Ziaullah Afridi in the custody of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission for 13 days, the suspect once again accused Chief Minister Pervez Khattak of trying to influence the inquiry against him in the case of misuse of authority.

The minister was produced before ehtesab judge Hayat Ali Shah by the officials of the commission after completion of 13 days physical remand.

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The judge ordered his production on Aug 4.

Ziaullah submitted an application to the court alleging the chief minister had been misusing his office by interfering in the case against him.

Ziaullah alleges CM influencing inquiry against him over misuse of authority

He alleged that the chief minister had been influencing the inquiry and pressuring officials asking them to testify against him.

The minister had earlier levelled similar allegations against the chief minister during his previous production before the court on July 10.

He had told reporters that the chief minister had implicated him in the concocted case as he had registered cases against those involved in illegal mining in Nowshera district, the hometown of Pervez Khattak.

Amid tight security, Ziaullah was brought to the Federal Judicial Complex, where the ehtesab courts are situated, in an armoured personnel carrier to keep him away from media as well as his supporters, who showed up in large numbers.

Additional deputy prosecutor general of the commission Barrister Qazi Babar Irshad appeared along with the suspect and requested the judge to extend his physical custody saying more investigation into the case is required.

He said Ziaullah was involved in illegal posting and transfers in his department and connived with people involved in illegal mining.

Moazzam Butt, lawyer for the suspect, opposed extension in his client’s physical remand saying the ehtesab commission had so far failed to produce specific charge against him.

He said the minister had played his role in the registration of over 200 FIRs in Nowshera district against those involved in illegal mining.

The lawyer said the KPEC was not properly constituted in line with the provisions of the KPEC Act 2014.

He said the suspect could have only been arrested if he had not cooperated with the commission in the inquiry but in the case, he had fully cooperated with the relevant officials.

Director general of the department Dr Liaquat Ali has already been arrested in the case, while secretary Mian Waheedudin, whose arrest warrants were issued by the commission, has got a brief relief from the court in the shape of orders for the commission against acting him for the time being.

PETITION ADJOURNED: A bench of the Peshawar High Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing into a petition against Ziaullah’s detention to July 30 while directing the commission to file response to the plea.

Ziaullah’s brother, Hidayatullah Afridi, had moved the petition.

When the bench comprising Justice Nisar Hussain and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth began hearing, it was informed that the commission had yet not commented on the petition in writing.

Deputy prosecutor general Zahid Aman requested the bench to give him time to ensure the filing of comments.

He also said the petition was not maintainable as the detainee was not in illegal detention and was remanded in the custody of the commission by a court.

The lawyer for petitioner, Ishtiaq Ibrahim, said the KPEC Act had been challenged on different grounds.

He said there was nothing on record against the detainee and therefore, his arrest was illegal.

The petitioner claimed that the file related to the illegal mining of Mamakhel mine in Nowshera district was with the National Accountability Bureau and therefore, the KPEC could not interfere in the matter as Section 35 of the KPEC Act clearly showed which agency should deal with such cases.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2015

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