Pakistan, Oct. 14 -- The Lahore High Court on Tuesday ruled that the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab cannot initiate inquiries or prosecution in disputes involving private cooperative housing societies without following the procedure prescribed by law, observing that the authority to recommend prosecution rests with the Registrar of Cooperative Societies.

Justice Jawad Zafar heard a petition filed by Sheikh Sadaqat Ali, general secretary of a private cooperative housing society, challenging an inquiry initiated by the ACE Lahore against the society on the complaint of a complainant described by the petitioner as a habitual complainant.

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, advocate Mian Dawood argued that the ACE had no juri...