LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday approved closure of a corruption reference against Punjab University’s former vice chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran and others.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted a report before the court seeking permission to withdraw the reference.

The NAB stated that a review of the reference found no evidence against the accused persons.

The report said neither corruption nor misuse of authority could be proven against the accused, including Dr Mujahid Kamran, Dr Khan Raas, Deba Akhtar, and Dr Hasan Mubeen.

Judge Qamaruz Zaman allowed the request of the NAB and approved closure of the reference against the professors.

In 2018, the NAB had filed the reference and also arrested Dr Mujahid Kamran, who was accused of making over 500 illegal appointments of mostly grade 17 and above during his stint as VC between 2013 and 2016, violating rules and merit.

Dr Kamran was also accused of illegally appointing his wife, Dr Shazia Qureshi, as principal of the Punjab University Law College and awarding scholarships to favourite students.

DISMISSED: An additional district and sessions judge on Thursday dismissed a petition of anchorperson Orya Maqbool Jan challenging his physical remand in a cybercrime case of alleged hate speech against the top judge of the country.

Advocate Azhar Siddique argued on behalf of the anchorperson, saying his client was targeted on political grounds for holding an opposing opinion. He said Jan did not make any statement that insulted anyone, emphasising that criticism of judicial decisions was a right granted to every individual, as long as it does not involve contempt.

The lawyer asked the court to set aside the arrest and the remand of Jan in the case.

After hearing the arguments, AD&SJ Rafaqat Ali Qamar dismissed the petition.

Orya Maqbool Jan is on physical remand with the FIA till Aug 30.

DISPOSED OF: The Lahore High Court on Thursday disposed of a petition for a medical examination of Amna Arooj, the suspect in the alleged kidnapping and honey-trapping of playwright Khalilur Rehman Qamar, after it was found that there was no evidence of torture during police custody.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh heard the petition filed by Arooj’s mother Zeenat Bibi, who expressed concerns about her daughter being tortured in custody.

The police presented Arooj in the court, and Assistant Advocate General Sattar Sahil submitted her medical report.

The report confirmed that while some injuries were found on Arooj, the nature and age of the wounds indicated that they were not inflicted during her police remand.

After reviewing the report, the judge disposed of the petition.

The petitioner had requested the court to order a medical examination of her daughter.

Separately, an anti-terrorism court extended the judicial remand of Arooj in the case and directed the police to present her on Sept 3.

The investigating officer told the court that the suspect could not be presented as she was being presented in the LHC.

The IO stated that forensic analysis of the suspect’s mobile phone and viral video had been completed, along with her polygraph and voice-matching tests.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2024