Case about assets beyond known sources of income: AC to announce verdict on former official’s plea in Oct

ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court on Monday fixed October 19 for the announcement of its judgement on the plea filed by former director general for Parks and Horticulture, Karachi, Liaqat Ali Khan Qaimkhani in an assets beyond known sources of income case, seeking to send back the case to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The Accountability Court-III judge, Syed Ashgar Ali, took the decision after hearing arguments of both the defence and prosecution counsel over Mr Qaimkhani’s application, in which he had challenged the territorial jurisdiction of the court under the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act, 2022 and said that instant references did not fall under the ambit of the court after the recent amendments in the NAB laws.

Barrister Umair Majeed Malik, while arguing before the court that following the recent amendments in the NAB laws the case does not fall under the jurisdiction of this court; therefore, it may kindly be sent back to the NAB. He also requested the court to take out this case from the ambit of the NAB.

The NAB prosecutor said that as per new amendments in the NAB law, the court can decide the case. The court after hearing the arguments of both the parties fixed October 19 for announcing its judgment.

According to the NAB Rawalpindi, the investigation revealed that Qaimkhani joined government service in 1977 as assistant director (BPS-17) in the Garden Directorate of Parks and Horticulture, and was subsequently, posted in the Parks Department.

He was given the charge of deputy director in 1987 and was promoted to BPS-18 in 1990.

He was promoted to BPS-19 in 1994 as his service of BPS-18 was considered from 1987, after the issuance of an order.

He was promoted to BPS-20 in 2003 and retired in 2011 as DG Parks and Horticulture in the grade-21. The accused was interrogated by the NAB regarding his known sources of income and assets acquired by him.

However, the accused did not provide details of the same.

The investigation has revealed that the total salary income earned by Qaimkhani from 1977 to 2011 has been worked out to be Rs 7,541,158. Whereas, the total income from agriculture received by the accused from 2005 to 2011 was Rs 7,420,276 including share of the agricultural income from the joint land owned by his father.

The NAB investigation further revealed that Qaimkhani purchased and renovated immovable properties in Karachi during his service period.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022