ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) stayed the execution of a lower court’s decision and restrained authorities from arresting Najaf Hameed, brother of former ISI chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, in a case involving alleged land fraud.
The high court issued notices to relevant parties and sought their responses after Hameed approached the IHC challenging the cancellation of his bail. The court also stayed proceedings related to the Special Central Judge’s order until the next hearing, effectively giving him temporary protection from arrest.
The development comes following a written order by FIA Central Special Judge Shah Rukh Arjumand, who canceled Hameed’s bail and ordered his immediate arrest. The special court order recorded allegations that the accused prepared false registration and carried out fraudulent mutations of land records.
According to the prosecution, Hameed allegedly cheated the complainant by transferring only 10 marlas of land instead of the agreed-upon canal plot. The court order also cited allegations of misuse of official position for personal gain and noted that an investigation is underway under the Money Laundering Act.
The FIA had argued before the trial court that custodial interrogation was necessary to uncover material facts and complete the investigation. Prosecutors argued that extraordinary measures such as bail could not be granted solely on the basis of the complainant’s statement or an alleged agreement.
Read: Court orders arrest of former ISI chief Faiz Hameed’s brother after canceling bail
While the special court accepted the bail cancellation application filed by the FIA, Najaf Hameed was not present in the court when the order was announced.
Following the intervention of the IHC, the arrest warrant remains suspended and the matter has been adjourned for further proceedings.
