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LAHORE, March 19: An accountability court here on Saturday adjourned till April 4 the proceedings in a reference against Federal Kashmir Affairs Minister Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, observing that it could not try charges because of a stay granted by the Lahore High Court. The adjournment was ordered by the court when the minister?s counsel presented the stay order and submitted that the accountability court could not proceed further.
The court, headed by Rana Zahid Mahmood, also deferred the application of the minister pleading exemption from appearance for the same reason. The minister was not present in the court which had directed the interior ministry last week to place the name of Faisal Saleh Hayat on the exit control list (ECL).
LHC Chief Justice Iftikhar Husain Chaudhry on Friday stayed the proceedings of a reference in the accountability court which charged the minister with a wilful default in payment of a Rs241 million bank loan for Shah Jewna Textile Mills.
The stay was granted in the process of two writ petitions moved by all the eight directors of the mills, including the minister and his wife, in which they contended that they had no confidence in the accountability court. The petition contended that the NAB court had caused the name of Faisal Saleh to be put on the ECL without issuing a notice to him or other directors.
The petition sought the transfer of the trial in the references to another accountability court for which, the petition contended, the chief justice was competent under Section 16-A of the NAB Ordinance.
The high court issued notice to the NAB chairperson in the other writ petition which sought that the accountability court?s direction to the interior ministry that the minister?s name be placed on the ECL, be struck down as unlawful as this was passed without a cause of action. The LHC will hear this petition on March 28.
The petitioner contended that the NAB law provided that the chairperson was obliged to accept reports of the conciliation at the State Bank level and order withdrawal of the reference. In case of rejection, the chairperson was required to give reason in writing. But the NAB chairperson had neither accepted nor given reasons if the conciliation committee report had been rejected. The plea said lack of response was illegal. ?Correspondent
The court, headed by Rana Zahid Mahmood, also deferred the application of the minister pleading exemption from appearance for the same reason. The minister was not present in the court which had directed the interior ministry last week to place the name of Faisal Saleh Hayat on the exit control list (ECL).
LHC Chief Justice Iftikhar Husain Chaudhry on Friday stayed the proceedings of a reference in the accountability court which charged the minister with a wilful default in payment of a Rs241 million bank loan for Shah Jewna Textile Mills.
The stay was granted in the process of two writ petitions moved by all the eight directors of the mills, including the minister and his wife, in which they contended that they had no confidence in the accountability court. The petition contended that the NAB court had caused the name of Faisal Saleh to be put on the ECL without issuing a notice to him or other directors.
The petition sought the transfer of the trial in the references to another accountability court for which, the petition contended, the chief justice was competent under Section 16-A of the NAB Ordinance.
The high court issued notice to the NAB chairperson in the other writ petition which sought that the accountability court?s direction to the interior ministry that the minister?s name be placed on the ECL, be struck down as unlawful as this was passed without a cause of action. The LHC will hear this petition on March 28.
The petitioner contended that the NAB law provided that the chairperson was obliged to accept reports of the conciliation at the State Bank level and order withdrawal of the reference. In case of rejection, the chairperson was required to give reason in writing. But the NAB chairperson had neither accepted nor given reasons if the conciliation committee report had been rejected. The plea said lack of response was illegal. ?Correspondent
