Jang Group invokes writ jurisdiction against chairman EB
KARACHI: The writ jurisdiction of Sindh High Court was on Friday invoked on the issue of the alleged illegal actions of Chairman Ehtesab Bureau Senator Saifur Rehman against the Jang Group and its proprietors.
The petition of Haider lqbal Wahniwal, a constitutional lawyer, hinges on the main contention that under Section 1(2) of the Ehtesab Act 1997, Chairman Ehtesab Bureau has no power to bring into motion the law of the land against private persons or organisations nor has he supervisory powers over the agencies like FIA and police to use them for his political ends.
Registered at No 221/99 by the writ branch of SHC, the petition seeks the court’s verdict on the issue and declaration that all the acts taken and commissions performed by respondent Saifur Rehman, Nawaz Sharif and other respondents against the Jang Group run contrary to the spirit of articles 4, 8, 14, 18, 19, 32 and 77 of the constitution of Pakistan.
It has been submitted that in January the component papers of Jang Group disclosed that the Chairman Ebtesab Bureau had demanded expulsion of 16 working journalists from the Jang Group. He had also demanded the group’s unconditional support to the 15th constitutional amendment, changes being brought about in the judiciary, actions taken in Karachi, and other like matters. Notices for payment of Rs 2 billion taxes were issued to the group and it was alleged that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and his associates had been providing material to foreign embassies for publication abroad and that Mir Shakil had been involved in the past in many shady deals.
It was further alleged by the respondents that Mir Shakil had amassed wealth through deceit, blackmailing of successive governments, black-marketing of newsprint and evasion of taxes. The newsprint of the Jang Group was detained and Collector Customs (Appraisement) refused to release it without payment of Rs 1200 million by its proprietors despite Supreme Court directions.
The petition will come up for preliminary hearing within the next week.
Source: The News
Date:2/13/1999
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