Karachi: Sindh High Court on Monday directed counsels of petitioners and NAB prosecutor to advance arguments on bail application of former director of Benazir Housing Cell in NAB cases. The court heard the bail application of the accused in corruption cases. The court directed counsel of petitioners to advance arguments on the bail application on next date of hearing. A NAB prosecutor told the court that the bureau had filed four references over corruptions of billions of rupees in six districts of Sindh. Millions of rupees were withdrawn from the national kitty but the money was not used on construction of house, rather embezzled and misappropriated. Four accused including Mazhar Abbas are in jail in the references while two other are on bail. According to NAB, the petitioner, who had been the director of the housing cell in Kashmore-Kandhkot district, during his turnover, funds amounting to Rs 367.5 million intended for setting up low-cost housing schemes were embezzled. The NAB alleged that the petitioner used fake calculations for issuance of illegal cheques to a Fiza Social Welfare Organisation against which the funds were misappropriated. PPP government had announced to construct low-cost housing schemes in five districts under Benazir Housing Scheme in Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, and Badin for the poor segment of society. Published in Daily Times, August 29th 2017.