The Sindh High Court on Monday rejected a lawsuit filed by the ex-CEO of Hascol, Saleem Butt, challenging proceedings against him in the Senate, media reports said.
Senator Afnanullah Khan had written a letter to the senate standing committee seeking parliamentary proceedings against Butt during his time at Hascol and the allegations of corruption against the former CEO.
The financial default of Hascol worth PKR 74 billion was brought to the chairman of the Senate panel’s attention by Khan, who said that these charges were serious and warranted further investigation by the committee because it affected public funds.
In response to Khan’s letter, dated July 6, 2021, Butt went to court asking that the Senator be prevented from initiating or taking part in any disparaging and damaging meeting or investigation against him in the Senate committee.
This is the latest development in what is the largest banking default case in Pakistan’s history which is currently being probed by the FIA. Butt is the main accused in the matter.
Khan’s letter, according to the ex-CEO’s counsel, was the result of a financial dispute between the involved parties and was not motivated by good faith.
However, the court noted: “The first segment of the relief claimed is prima facie repugnant to Articles 66 and 69 of the Constitution while the second limb is contradicted by the plaintiff’s counter affidavit in which it was deposed that instant suit is neither based on defamation nor do the plaintiffs wish to restrain the defendant from performing his lawful parliamentary duties.”
