PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Friday directed law-enforcement agencies not to arrest special assistant to the provincial chief minister on anti-corruption retired Brigadier Mohammad Musaddiq Abbasi and two officers of the anti-corruption establishment in any cases, registered against them, without its permission.

A bench consisting of Justice Shakeel Ahmad and Justice Wiqar Ahmad directed the government to produce details of any cases registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) or any other law-enforcement agencies against the three peopleby Sept 26.

The court was hearing three petitions filed by Mr Abbasi, ACE director Sadeeq Anjum and additional director (admin) Umer Siddique, seeking its orders for law-enforcement agencies, especially those of the federal government and Punjab, to provide details of the cases registered against them.

A day earlier, a single-member high court bench had granted transit bail to the three petitioners until Oct 5 in a case registered against them under cyber-crime law in Islamabad for allegedly defaming a judicial officer, Humayun Dilawar, who convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan last year, and his family members.

That case was registered by the FIA on Sept 11 over a complaint filed by Ahmad Sadiq Khan, a nephew of special judge (central) Islamabad Humayun Dilawar.

On Sept 10, a judicial magistrate in Bannu had issued arrest warrants of judge Humayun Dilawar, his father Dilawar Khan, his brother Sadiq Dilawar, and revenue officer Taj Mali Khan in a case registered by the KP ACE accusing them of tampering with a court decree to ‘illegally occupy’ land and convert the same into a housing scheme.

In the present case, the petitioners requested the court to stop the respondents, including different law-enforcement agencies, from arresting or harassing them, and declare the recent registration of any case against them illegal.

Advocate Alam Khan Adenzai appeared for the petitioners and said their clients were respectable and law-abiding citizens and had never committed any illegal act.

He said the petitioners recently learned that an FIR was registered against them by the FIA in Islamabad.

The lawyer said Mr Abbasi intended to leave for Islamabad from Peshawar when he was informed about FIRs registered against him and other petitioners.

He said the petitioners feared arrest in any undisclosed case registered against them.

The court served a notice on additional attorney general Sanaullah Khan, who was present in the courtroom, on the petitions.

He said he should be given two weeks’ time for producing a report.

The bench adjourned the hearing until Sept 26.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024