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KARACHI, Jan 23: The Sindh High Court accepted the appeal of Abdul Qadir Tawakkal, chairman of the Tawakkal Group of Companies, against his conviction by an accountability court in one of the references filed by the National Accountability Bureau.
The reference alleged that he did not repatriate the proceeds of an export consignment sent to Northern Cyprus and deposited an amount of over Rs96 million in a bank there in complicity with the former provincial chief of the Allied Bank Limited in Karachi, Imdad A. Shaikh.
He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment while co-accused Imdad Shaikh was acquitted by the accountability court.
The businessman challenged his conviction and sentence in the high court through Advocate Shahab Sarki.
By a short order and for detailed reasons to be recorded later, an SHC appellate bench comprising Justices Rahmat Hussain Jafferi and Munib Ahmed Khan allowed his appeal. His appeals against conviction in other references are pending.
FRESH NOTICE: The bench issued to Federal Investigation Agency Deputy Director Shahid Hayat a fresh notice in a contempt application moved by detainee Dr Ali Raza Zaidi’s father through Advocate Haider Imam Rizvi.
The official had denied in his affidavit earlier that Dr Zaidi arrived in Pakistan in July 2006 and was taken into custody on his arrival. The claim was belied by the President’s House in its response to a representation made by Mrs Zaidi to President Pervez Musharraf.
On Tuesday federal attorney Mahmood Alam Rizvi informed the bench that according to information received by him, Dr Zaidi was arrested under the Security of Pakistan Act and the federal review board had sanctioned his detention for three months. He was again produced before the board for extension of detention earlier in January and a decision was awaited.
The petitioner’s counsel said the FIA official had lied to the court and should be proceeded against for contempt. The bench issued a notice for February 6.
MENGAL CASE: The bench, meanwhile, sought a report from an anti-terrorist court in an appeal moved by the servants of former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s against their conviction for kidnapping two army personnel who were on intelligence duty near his Defence residence.
The appellants maintained that the trial court announced its final judgment in the case despite a restraint order passed by the high court.
