Daily Times

KARACHI: While expressing dissatisfaction over the reports submitted by the provincial authorities on the reported non-provision of relief goods to the drought-affected people in Tharparkar, the Sindh High Court has asked them to submit their reports again .

Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, who headed a two-judge bench, directed the health and food secretaries to turn up before the court along with their reports on appointment of doctors at health facilities and provision of wheat to drought affected areas in Tharparkar respectively.

The hearing was put off till 18th May

At the outset, the provincial law officer, Ghulam Mustafa Mahesar presented the reports of Tharparkar’s deputy commissioner and planning and development department which were rejected by the court.

Former Chief Justice Faisal Arab had taken notice of the media reports regarding non-provision of relief goods, including wheat, to the drought-hit people.

The reports had highlighted the failure of the relief commissioner and revenue board officials to distribute over 50000 wheat bags which were lying in warehouses among the affectees.

Sharjeel Memon’s bail

Meanwhile, another bench has extended the interim pre-arrest bail granted to former provincial information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon in two corruption cases.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar extended Memon’s bail till May 25.

At the outset, the National Accountability Bureau had filed a reference against PPP lawmaker for allegedly causing Rs5.76 billion loss to the national exchequer through embezzlement in the Sindh government’s advertisement campaign.

Earlier on March 31, the high court had approved bail for the PPP leader against a surety of Rs2 million in each case with a bond of the same amount to the satisfaction of the court Nazir.

The Bureau had also issued him a call-up notice for his appearance before the investigating officer in connection with inquires into allotment and adjusted of land in 43 Dehs at throw-away prices for a property developer, depriving the public exchequer of billions of rupees in revenue.

Memon had approached the SHC through his lawyer, contending that he was being politically victimized for his association with the PPP. Several fabricated and false cases were instituted by the NAB against PPP leaders, he added.

The lawyer submitted that his client was innocent and had been implicated in the corruption cases.

The former information minister is facing a corruption reference relating to alleged the award of advertisements at exorbitant rates, causing loss of over Rs3 billion to the national exchequer.

The NAB had also initiated an investigation against him for allegedly getting the state land allotted and adjusted in 43 Dehs at throw-away prices for property developer Bahria Town, depriving the public exchequer of billions of rupees in revenue.