LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday restrained the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) from arresting former chief minister Usman Buzdar in any undisclosed case registered against him and also sought a reply from the agency.

Buzdar’s counsel argued before the court that the ACE conducted a raid to arrest the petitioner in a case not known to him. He said the agency had not provided the petitioner with any information as to how many cases had been registered against him.

He asked the court to restrain the ACE from arresting the petitioner and also order it to submit a record of cases lodged against him.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh sought a report from the ACE by Thursday (today) and also restrained it from arresting the petitioner in any case registered but not disclosed yet.

The judge also directed Buzdar to join the investigation whenever summoned by the respondent agency.

Meanwhile, an accountability court extended pre-arrest bail of Buzdar in an inquiry into illegal assets initiated against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Buzdar did not appear before the court as his counsel sought a one-time exemption from appearance saying his client went to the high court to seek bail in another case.

The court allowed the request and extended the pre-arrest bail of Buzdar till May 6.

Initially, Buzdar secured pre-arrest bail on Nov 19, 2022, which he withdrew on Dec 13 as the investigating officer of the NAB said warrants for the arrest had not been issued.

Later, Buzdar again approached the court on Feb 16, 2023 and obtained the bail fearing his arrest in the inquiry.

In his bail petition, Buzdar submitted that the NAB with mala fide intention and in connivance with the incumbent federal government had been politically victimising him. He said all the allegations against him were baseless.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2023