LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday ruled that the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) cannot initiate inquiries into disputes involving private cooperative housing societies without following the procedure prescribed under the law.

Justice Jawad Zafar, while hearing a petition filed by Sheikh Sadaqat Ali, secretary general of a private cooperative housing society, observed that the law did not authorise the ACE to conduct direct inquiries into such disputes and questioned why citizens were being harassed despite clear legal provisions.

Advocate Mian Dawood, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, submitted that the ACE-Lahore had initiated an inquiry against the society on a complaint filed by a “habitual” complainant.

He argued that disputes involving cooperative housing societies fell within the jurisdiction of the cooperative department and that the ACE had no authority to intervene directly.

The counsel contended that Section 63 of the Cooperative Societies Act required the registrar’s recommendation before prosecution could be initiated against a society.

Assistant Advocate General Falak Sher Gill conceded that prosecution under Section 63 could be initiated only after approval by the registrar of cooperative societies.

The judge asked ACE Assistant Director Mr Zaigham about the agency’s authority to proceed with the inquiry.

The officer contended that the society members fell within the definition of public servants under Section 65.

However, the judge observed that the high court had already interpreted the provision and excluded them from that category. The judge disposed of the petition after the ACE officer assured the court that the petitioner would not be harassed and the agency would seek the registrar’s permission before initiating any inquiry, if required.

In this case, the court had already suspended the inquiry against the petitioner.

APPEAL Filed: An appeal has been filed before the Supreme Court, challenging the Lahore High Court’s decision to acquit a man who was previously sentenced to death for the 2021 murder of a young military officer.

According to the appeal, on Oct 17, 2021, in Bhakkar district, Muhammad Usman Liaqat — a newly recruited Pakistan Army lieutenant who had recently completed his training at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), Kakul — was allegedly abducted and shot dead. His body was later recovered from the Thal Canal.

The prosecution’s initial case stated that accused Muhammad Tasawar committed the murder after Usman resisted his attempts to develop relations with his (victim’s) younger brother.

In January 2024, an additional district and session judge in Kallur Kot convicted Tasawar under sections 302-B, 364, and 201 of the Pakistan Penal Code, handing down a death sentence alongside a jail term and fine.

However, on June 3, 2026, the Lahore High Court’s Multan bench accepted the convict’s appeal, and later acquitted him by extending him the benefit of the doubt.

The high court noted critical flaws in the prosecution’s evidence, including discrepancies in an alleged extra-judicial confession, unconvincing “last seen” accounts, and evidentiary gaps in recoveries and forensic data.

Challenging the acquittal, the victim’s father, Liaqat Ali, has now approached the apex court through senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khan Khosa.

The appeal argues that the high court’s verdict overlooked a comprehensive chain of circumstantial evidence, including the DNA profiling linking blood on the convict’s motorcycle and clothes to the deceased.

It pleads that the misreading of the facts by the high court resulted in a miscarriage of justice.

It urges the Supreme Court to set aside the acquittal and restore the death sentence.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2026