LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has stopped the Anti-Corruption Department from taking action against members of private cooperative societies.
Justice Muhammad Jawad Zafar issued an interim stay today while hearing a petition. The petition challenged the department’s intervention in cooperative housing disputes.
Court Halts Anti-Corruption Inquiry
The court heard a petition filed by Sheikh Sadaqat, general secretary of a private cooperative society. Advocate Mian Dawood represented the petitioner.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Department submitted its written response to the court.
The prosecution argued that the Cooperative Societies Act considers society members public servants. However, Dawood rejected this position. He said the LHC’s judgment in the Khalid Waseem case clarified that society members do not receive salaries from the government treasury.
Legal Dispute Over Department’s Authority
Dawood argued that the Anti-Corruption Department cannot intervene in disputes involving cooperative housing societies. He maintained that the Cooperative Department remains the proper forum for resolving such disputes under the law.
Furthermore, he accused the Anti-Corruption Department of misusing its powers through inquiries based on unsubstantiated complaints.
The lawyer urged the court to declare the ongoing inquiry beyond the department’s jurisdiction and quash it.
The LHC ordered that no disciplinary action be taken against the petitioner until the next hearing.
Lahore High Court judge adjourned the hearing of the case for 21 September.
