MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) top accountability institution arrested a well-reputed secretary to the government from the premises of an accountability court in Mirpur on Saturday, as part of an investigation into a plot allotment case.

The move was strongly condemned by an association of college teachers, maintaining that it had cast doubt on the performance and credibility of the accountability body.

Secretary for Higher Education Chaudhry Mohammad Tayyab was taken into custody after the Ehtesab Court declined to extend his pre-arrest bail. He was subsequently moved to the Ehtesab Bureau’s safe house in Mirpur.

As section 21 (11) of the AJK Ehtesab Bureau Act prohibits sharing information about any accused during the inquiry or investigation stage, bureau officials refrained from disclosing details about the case.

However, sources privy to developments within the bureau told Dawn that Mr Tayyab was under investigation for his alleged role in the “illegal allotment” of plots by the Mirpur Development Authority (MDA), where he previously held the position of Director of Estate Management.

The sources added that nearly 10 months ago, the AJK High Court had directed the Ehtesab Bureau to investigate irregularities in the allotment of plots by the MDA and take action against those involved. Some officials had reportedly been arrested earlier in the same case but were later released on bail.

Mr Tayyab had previously recorded his statement with the bureau during the investigation. However, the cancellation of his bail on Saturday led to his arrest.

Meanwhile, the Azad Kashmir College Teachers Association (AKCTA) strongly condemned Mr Tayyab’s arrest, calling it an unjustified act that had put a “question mark on the performance and credibility” of the Ehtesab Bureau.

In a statement, AKCTA president Prof Tariq Saleem Shah described Mr Tayyab as a dedicated, honest, and professional bureaucrat.

He urged the prime minister, the higher education minister, and the chief secretary to ensure his immediate release, warning that the already unstable situation in the region could worsen further.

“The Secretary Higher Education has utilized all his abilities to improve the quality of education in AJK and restore parents’ confidence in public educational institutions,” Prof Shah said.

Stating that the humiliation of Mr Tayyab would not be tolerated under any circumstances, he warned the government “not to provoke teachers into a pen-down strike”.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2024