LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday restrained the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from extending harassment to Abdul Aleem Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and also asked the leader to cooperate with the anti-corruption watchdog in terms of inquiries regarding his housing schemes.

Mr Khan had challenged an inquiry initiated by NAB against his housing scheme-Vision Developers.

Advocates Khwaja Ahmad Tariq Rahim and Azhar Siddique represented Mr Khan before a division bench.

They argued that NAB had opened an inquiry against the petitioner’s housing scheme thrice, however, each time closed them for finding no evidence. They said under the relevant law an inquiry closed three times could not be opened again.

They said NAB violated the stay order and continued the inquiry against the petitioner only on political consideration.

The NAB counsel argued that Mr Khan had not appeared before the investigating team even for once.

At this, the petitioner’s counsel stated that the court had suspended the summons issued by NAB. The bureau’s counsel urged the court to withdraw the stay granted to the petitioner.

The bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi turned down NAB’s plea, however, it directed the petitioner to cooperate with the investigating team. The bench also restrained the bureau from extending harassment to the petitioner during the inquiry.

The bench adjourned further hearing till April 2.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2018