Daily Times

PESHAWAR: A division bench of Peshawar High Court on Thursday sought provision of record from the provincial government in former director Anti Corruption Department Ziaullah Turo transfer case till next hearing.

The bench consisting of Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Ikramullah while hearing a writ petition filed by Turo through his counsel Qazi Jawwad was informed that petitioner’s services were handed over the provincial government and posted as director ACD.

The chief justice inquired that when his services were handed over to the provincial government then it has the authority to transfer him so how his rights were affected and how malafide intention involved in his transfer.

Jawwad replied that that he was transferred with malafide intentions after he started investigation into billion tree tsunami project. “The inquiry in Billion Tree Tsunami involves brother and his brother-in-law of incumbent chief secretary therefore he was transferred that indicates his malafide intentions,” he stated.

He said that secretary Establishment Department has forwarded a summary to merge his services at ACD keeping in view his better performance.

The chief justice observed that there was nothing available regarding allegation against brother of the chief secretary and details about merging of his services in ACD on the file and ordered to provide further record.

Advocate General Abdul Latif Yousafzai argued that the petitioner has assumed charge of his new assignment and the provincial government hasn’t submitted its reply therefore there was no need to issue stay order. The bench after hearing the arguments ordered to provide details till June 16 and adjourned the case. The bench on last hearing issued notices to notices to chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, secretary Establishment Department and deputy commissioner Peshawar after Director Anti-Corruption challenged his transfer.

However, due to lawyers’ strike, the petitioner himself appeared before the court and pleaded that he was posted as director Anti Corruption and was transferred on May 2, 2016 by the provincial government.

He stated that his services were handed over to the provincial government by appointing him as director on deputation from National Accountability Bureau. He had claimed that as director ACD he started taking steps to reform the department after assuming the charge and on April 1, 2016 he requested the provincial government to merge his services in the department.

He claimed that during this period he recovered around Rs1.66 billion and deposited in the national exchequer. “I was transferred when I started investigation into ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ against brother of chief secretary and his brother in law to unearth the alleged misappropriation in purchase of saplings,” he said. He stated that this indicate malafide intentions on part of the respondents and prayed to suspend his transfer notification. The bench after hearing him issued notices the respondents and sought their reply till next hearing.