PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Thursday directed the National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to complete inquiry into the alleged illegal assets of former PPP MNA Asma Alamgir within 45 days.

Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Mohammad Ayub Khan asked the bureau not to use call-up notices for the arrest of the former lawmaker and observed that if her arrest was needed, it should issue proper arrest warrants, which should be served on her.

The bench told NAB deputy prosecutor general Mohammad Jamil Khan that the ongoing inquiry against the former MNA should be completed within 45 days and if there was evidence of any illegality committed by her, then a reference should be filed otherwise the inquiry should be closed.

The court was hearing a petition of Ms Asma against the frequent issuance of call-up notices to her by the NAB KP and alleging harassment through them.

PHC also observes call-up notices shouldn’t be used to arrest Asma Alamgir

Barrister Mudassir Amir, lawyer for the petitioner, said the inquiry against his client had been in progress for over four years.

He said while the bureau failed to collect any evidence of the petitioner’s alleged wrongdoings, it had constantly been summoning her to its offices for inquiry.

The lawyer said the NAB suspected that the petitioner had assets disproportionate to the known sources of her income.

He said his client had provided details of the relevant properties as asked by the NAB but it was still not willing to close the inquiry.

The petitioner was issued a call-up notice in August prompting her to file the petition. The court later asked NAB not to take any adverse action against her.

Barrister Mudassir said NAB had neither been completing inquiry/investigation into the case to file a reference against the petitioner nor had it been closing the inquiry.

Deputy prosecutor general Mohammad Jamil assured the bench that the bureau had no intention to arrest the MNA.

When the bench asked why the NAB had taken so long for the completion of inquiry, he replied that the bureau had completed investigation regarding her properties in Pakistan, but the probe against her assets abroad was in progress.

He added that a request for mutual legal assistance had been sent to the UAE government for the sharing of the details of the former MNA’s properties on its land.

Barrister Mudassir said the MLA was sent to the UAE government in 2016 but there came no reply. He wondered if the NAB inquiry would continue for an indefinite period.

Meanwhile, Ms Asma told reporters after the hearing that NAB had been used by the government for the victimisation of political opponents.

She alleged that after the July 25 general elections, she had been regularly issued call-up notices and when she took her son along with her to the NAB offices, the relevant officers had objected to it.

The former MNA alleged that she had been harassed by the NAB through call-up notices.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2018