PHC reserves verdict in missing wheat case
The hearing was presided over by Justice Syed Arshad Ali, who grilled the Anti-Corruption Department's representative over the progress of the investigation. "What progress have you made so far? the judge asked. "Have you even read your own audit report? Where is the auditor? What is this performance? The audit correspondence looks fine on paper, but there's a shortage of wheat on the ground. This is the state of your department, you're relying entirely on others."
The hearing saw the appearance of the petitioner's lawyer Advocate Farooq Malik, Additional Director Food Imran Jadoon, and Additional Advocate General Inam Yousafzai, among others.
Arguing for bail, the defense counsel maintained that the petitioner was not solely responsible, asserting that others were also involved. He stressed that there were no criminal charges or concrete evidence against his client, whose role was limited to maintaining records. "As long as he was in charge, no discrepancy occurred, and relevant documentation supports this. He is even willing to have the wheat weighed at his own expense," the lawyer argued.
In response, Additional Advocate General Inam Yousafzai informed the court that similar bail petitions filed by other accused had already been rejected by the Chief Justice. He stated that over 3,300 sacks of wheat were missing from the storage facility, causing a loss of more than Rs190 million to the national treasury.
Justice Arshad Ali sharply criticized the performance of the Anti-Corruption Department during the hearing. When the department's representative claimed that an audit had been conducted, the judge responded, "Then check your report. Where is the auditor? What are you people doing? The wheat is missing on the ground, and your department still depends on others to get the job done."
Additional Director Food Imran Jadoon told the court that while the paperwork appeared to be in order, the physical stock was short. "We've written to the Chief Secretary, requesting a high-level inquiry," he added.
The Additional Advocate General reiterated that the case involved significant financial loss to the national exchequer. He also noted that two other suspects in the case had already had their bail pleas rejected, and later withdrew their petitions filed before the Supreme Court. The case is currently under trial in the lower court.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
K-P celebrates Independence Day
The 78th Independence Day was observed across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including the merged districts, with the same fervor and enthusiasm that swept the rest of the country on Thursday. The day in Peshawar began with a 21-gun salute, followed by special prayers at Fajr for the country's progress, prosperity, and unity. Throughout the provincial capital, government and private institutions marked the occasion with a series of special events. Flag-hoisting ceremonies were held at the Peshawar High Court, University of Peshawar, Civil Secretariat, and several other government offices. Non-governmental organizations also joined the celebrations, arranging rallies and patriotic programs that infused the city with festive energy. The streets and public places were awash with national colors. Children dressed in green-and-white outfits, many fashioned from the Pakistani flag, added a lively charm to the day. BRT stations, public offices, and private buildings were adorned with flags and bunting, giving Peshawar a vibrant look reminiscent of Eid festivities. Police were deployed at key points to maintain security throughout the celebrations. A dignified flag-hoisting ceremony at Governor House Peshawar was attended by Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, US Consul General Shante Moore, Iranian Consul General Ali Banafshekhah, and Afghan Consul General Hafiz Mohibullah. The event began with the national anthem, followed by a guard of honour from the police. Special prayers were offered for Pakistan's progress before the governor, accompanied by the diplomats, cut a ceremonial cake. Governor Kundi extended heartfelt greetings to the nation and expressed gratitude to the foreign envoys for their participation and goodwill messages. In Dera Ismail Khan, a solemn yet spirited Independence Day ceremony was held at the Police Lines, with Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur as chief guest. A smartly turned-out police contingent presented a guard of honour to the sound of patriotic tunes from the police band. The chief minister hoisted the national flag, cut a celebratory cake, and planted a sapling to mark the occasion. The ceremony drew senior officials including Commissioner Zafarul Islam, RPO Syed Ashfaq Anwar, Deputy Commissioner Abdul Nasir Khan, DPO Sajjad Ahmad Sahibzada, representatives of government departments, community leaders, and media personnel. Addressing the gathering, CM Gandapur congratulated the nation, noting that this year's Independence Day coincided with what he termed a "national victory" in which the armed forces and people together "humbled India's arrogance." He paid tribute to martyrs and veterans from the creation of Pakistan to the present, stressing that freedom is earned through sacrifice.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Detention distress!
The piece of legislation that grants military and civil armed forces the powers to detain suspects for up to three months has stirred fear and suspicion. At a time when human rights violations have broadly been reported across the country based on political victimisation, this new law is feared to further the sense of otherness and alleged highhandedness. The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024, passed by the National Assembly, however, is not new as the same had been in force till 2016, and lapsed due to a sunset clause. It was introduced after the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar, and had been instrumental in broadly exterminating the terror nexus. Reviving it with new fervour at a time when the country is infected with terrorism is a much-needed move, but it surely needs to be guaranteed that it would not be misused against dissenting voices and political opponents. The law, passed on the eve of Independence Day, has come with a bad taste. Critics in the civil society, lawfare and political circles question its utility when a plethora of similar litigations are there to deal with terror suspects. Especially, as the armed forces have been included in the orbit, it has come with a more lethal touch. It is, however, not known whether the detainees will be produced before the magistrate within 24 hours as per Penal Code, or they will continue to languish in shadows at the mercy of authorities for 180 days. While the bill says that the detention shall be on the basis of "credible information or reasonable suspicion", one hopes better sense will prevail and there won't be tales of midnight knocks and arbitrary disappearances. A clause in the amendment, sub-section 2 Section 11EEEE (preventive detention for inquiry), is quite vexing as any "suspicious person" could be held for three months. This needs some detailing and must ensure that fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution are not thrown to the wind. The fact that JITs comprising members of law-enforcement and intelligence agencies will conduct inquiries must come with public trial, so that the merits of detention and prosecution are assured as per law.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
ATA rearmed with preventive detention clause
The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024, granting military and civil armed forces the authority to place individuals facing terrorism charges under preventive detention for up to three months. The bill was moved by Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry and sailed through clause-by-clause reading with a majority vote, rejecting amendments proposed by JUI-F's Aliya Kamran while incorporating an amendment suggested by PPP's Syed Naveed Qamar. Section 11EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), which allows preventive detention for questioning, was first inserted in 2014 after the Army Public School attack in Peshawar but lapsed in 2016 due to a sunset clause. The bill reintroduces these powers, enabling detention on the basis of credible information or reasonable suspicion to disrupt planned terrorist activities. The legislation also provides for the formation of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs) comprising members of various law enforcement and intelligence agencies to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence. According to the statement of objects and reasons, the prevailing security situation "requires a robust response that goes beyond the existing legal framework" to equip the government, armed forces, and civil armed forces with the authority to detain individuals posing a significant threat to national security. Earlier, the House adopted the motion to take up the bill with 125 votes in favour and 59 against. According to a copy of the bill, in sub-section (1), the detention of a person arrested under Section 11EEEE, including detention exceeding three months, would be subject to the provisions of Article 10 (safeguards as to arrest and detention) of the Constitution. The bill outlined an amendment to sub-section (1) of Clause 2 of Section 11EEEE, which reads as follows: "The Government or, where the provisions of section 4 have been invoked, the armed forces or civil armed forces, as the case may be subject to the specific or general order of the Government in this regard, for a period not exceeding three months and after recording reasons thereof, issue order for the preventive detention of any person who has been concerned in any offence under this act relating to the security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, or public order relating to target killing, kidnapping for ransom, and extortion, bhatta, or the maintenance of supplies or services, or against whom a reasonable complaint has been made or credible information has been received, or a reasonable suspicion exists of his having been so concerned, for purpose of inquiry." Meanwhile, in sub-section 2, the following amendments were proposed: "In sub-section (2), for the proviso, the following shall be substituted, namely: provided that where the detention order has been issued by the armed forces or civil armed forces under sub-section (1), the inquiry shall be conducted by the JIT comprising of a police officer not below the rank of superintendent of police, intelligence agencies, civil armed forces, armed forces, and other law enforcing agencies and for sub-section (2A), the following shall be substituted, namely: (2A) The provisions of sub-sections (1) and (2) shall remain in force for a period of three years from the commencement of the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, 2025." The bill also incorporated an amendment to sub-section 2 Section 11EEEE (preventive detention for inquiry) of the ATA which would grant the armed forces or civil armed forces the power to arrest a "suspicious person" for three months. The amendment was moved by PPP MNA Naveed Qamar. "In clause 2, in paragraph (a), in section 11EEEE, in proposed sub-section (1), for the expression 'a reasonable complaint has been made or credible information has been received, or a reasonable suspicion exists', the expression 'sufficient grounds exist' shall be substituted," the amendment read. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said in the house that this law would only be used in specific situations. "A clause is being added to the bill stating that there are solid reasons for arrest," Tarar stated. "The arrested person will have to be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours [and] a clause has also been included to be enforceable for a specific period." Reacting to the passage of the motion to amend the ATA, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan noted that a similar law was brought previously and branded it a violation of "fundamental human rights". "The Supreme Court said these laws were contrary to fundamental rights," Gohar said. "You cannot touch a single person in the world without a solid reason." PTI senior leader and former NA speaker Asad Qaiser assailed the bill and rejected it in his address. "A new legislation has been passed, where you can be kept in prison for months without permission," he stated. "These laws can be misused and will target political opponents." Qaiser stated that he only wanted peace and commerce in the country, warning that the Constitution was being "destroyed". Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman lamented that Pakistan's anti-terrorism legislation against corruption and mismanagement made every citizen "inherently criminals". "A person is first arrested and then later proven guilty. There is no room for such legislation in the world," he said. "Terrorism has not stopped. I cannot even return to my village now," he added. "A guest in our area was told that extremists are in control outside. Legislation has made no difference, as this parliament has no importance. They create laws based on signals." Two other bills — the National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — were also passed. These were moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz respectively. On the eve of Pakistan's 78th Independence Day, the National Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. Moved by Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on behalf of all parliamentary parties, the resolution paid tribute to the struggle and sacrifices of the nation's forefathers under Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, culminating in the creation of an independent state on August 14, 1947. The House recognised the significance of the Markaa-e-Haq, a "glorious victory" of the valiant armed forces of Pakistan in repelling unprovoked Indian aggression, as well as the courage and professionalism of the security apparatus and civil heroes. It also recognised the unity and resilience of the people of Pakistan and paid homage to the martyrs and ghazis. Reaffirming Pakistan's resolve to pursue peace and friendly relations with all neighbours on the basis of equality, mutual respect, and non-interference, the resolution pledged to defend the country's sovereignty against any aggression and called upon all citizens to work collectively for Pakistan's unity, prosperity, and progress.
