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LAHORE, April 2: Taking up a plea against police and land-grabbers, the Lahore High Court on Wednesday observed that police had forgotten their duty and were busy in looting innocent people and helping the grabbers.
The court directed the SHO of Wahdat Colony Police Station to retrieve the property of Jamaat-i-Muhammadia Trust from land-grabbers and provide protection to the petitioner.
The petitioner, Pir Sabir Shah, submitted that he had been running an institution by the name of Jamaat-i-Muhammadia Trust for welfare of the poor. On March 15, Malik Riaz illegally occupied the Trust building “in connivance with the police”, the petitioner said and added, he approached the police for registration of the case but to no avail. He said that the police rather warned him against getting a case registered against the accused.
BAIL PLEAS: An appellate division bench of the Lahore High Court adjourned the hearing on the bail application of businessman Asif Saigal until April 9.
The court put off the hearing on the request of NAB counsel who had sought time to prepare the case.
The petitioner’s counsel, Aitezaz Ahsan, submitted that his client was seriously ill, his treatment was not possible in NAB custody and he should be granted bail on medical grounds.
Mr Saigal was arrested on Nov 17, 1999, sentenced to 31 years of imprisonment and fined Rs500 million in three NAB references. His appeals against his conviction are pending with the LHC.
Meanwhile, the special appellate bench of the high court adjourned the hearing on a bail application of NAB-accused former Multan DHO Dr Iftikhar Qureshi until next week due to unavailability of the defence counsel. Dr Qureshi has allegedly misappropriated government funds.
In yet another case, an appellate bench of the Lahore High Court called for a report on the stage of trial of former Emirates Bank manager Ashfaq Gulraiz while hearing his bail application. Mr Gulraiz is a co-accused in NAB’s Emirates Bank reference.
The applicant submitted that he had been in jail for the last two years whereas the other co-accused and even the principal accused were granted bail by the Lahore Banking Court. The reference was later sent to the Accountability Court, where it is still pending.
As much as Rs288 million was allegedly embezzled by the main culprits through fake bank guarantees in January and March 2001. A number of bank officers allegedly connived with the culprits. —APP
