Daily Times

LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday granted bail to former Punjab University vice chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran (VC) and four others, who were arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a case relating to alleged corruption and illegal appointments.

The bench ordered release of the five accused after depositing two surety bonds.

Former PU vice chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, former PU registrar Prof Dr Liaqat Ali and two additional registrars Prof Dr Aurangzaib Alamgir and Prof Dr Kamran Abid were arrested by the anti-corruption watchdog on October 13.

During the hearing of bail applications, the bench reprimanded NAB officials for handcuffing the professors at the time of their appearance before an accountability court.

The NAB prosecutor submitted that the bureau had already tendered an apology before the Supreme Court in this regard.

The counsel for the applicants said the NAB had made a case against them on baseless allegations. He said that all the alleged appointments were made in accordance with the law after due approval of the syndicate. He said that a sitting judge of the LHC and a Punjab Assembly’s member were permanent part of the syndicate, which had given nod to these appointments.

Under these circumstances, there could be no possibility of any illegal act in the university, he added.

The NAB prosecutor opposed the bail petitions. However, the bench after hearing the parties granted bail to all the applicants.

The main charge Prof Dr Kamran and the others arrested with him included 550 illegal appointments, mostly grade 17 and above between 2013 and 2016.

Sources claimed that most of the jobs were given on a contract basis and no selection rules were followed and the contracts were renewed.

Prof Dr Mujahid had also been accused of illegally appointing his second wife Dr Shazia Qureshi as principal of the Punjab University Law College (PULC).

Sources added that Prof Dr Mujahid had awarded scholarships to favourite students and was alleged involved in the award of contract in violation of procurement rules.

Published in Daily Times, November 8^th 2018.