Daily Times

An accountability court on Saturday has summoned PPP leader Sharjeel Memon‘s wife and other proclaimed offenders in assets reference hearing on December 21.

During the hearing, the court was informed by counsel that the wife of Sharjeel Memon was presently staying in Dubai. Sindh High Court has issued stay order and suspended warrants against Sadaf Sharjeel and other co-accused, he said. They will appear in the high court on December 14.

Earlier, the accountability court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants of Mrs. Sadaf Sharjeel and other accused.

Sharjeel Memon’s wife and mother Zeenat Inaam Memon have been among the co-accused in the assets beyond means NAB reference.

Court extends Khursheed Shah’s judicial remand until Dec 12

The corruption reference stated that the investigators have found solid evidence of financial irregularities against Sharjeel Memon, his wife and other accused persons.

The co-accused also included Zeeshan, Izhar Hussain, Muhammad Sohail, Saifullah Lohar, Agha Ahsan, Shaukat Ali Thebo, Waseem Akhtar Thebo and Kamran Gul.

The reference also stated presence of records, which confirm charges of making assets beyond known sources of income by the suspects.

The accused persons are facing over Rs2.27 billion corruption charges. Another reference against Memon is also under proceeding over his alleged involvement in corruption worth Rs5.75 billion.

Memon is accused of awarding government advertisements at exorbitant rates when he was Sindh’s information minister.

NAB clarifies Mandviwalla not summoned for any investigation

He was arrested by the accountability bureau in 2017 and remained in jail for 20 months. He is currently out of jail after the court granted him bail.

Meanwhile, an accountability court in Sukkur on Saturday extended the judicial remand of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah till December 12 in a case regarding his alleged assets beyond means.

Shah’s defence counsel argued with the court that 82 days have been passed since his client’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), however the accountability watchdog could have produced any concrete evidence against his client.

“There is nothing in the case against Khursheed Shah […] Asif Ali Zardari is under NAB’s detention from the last 120 days,” the defence counsel stated.

Contrarily, the NAB’s prosecutor told the court that for further investigation into the case against the arrested leader, a permission has been sought from the chairman of the bureau.

“Upon grant of permission, the court will be informed accordingly […] 90 days are not completed since Khursheed Shah’s judicial remand,” he said, while pleading with the court for granting extension in Shah’s judicial remand for another 15 days.

On Sept 18, the NAB arrested senior PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah in a case regarding his alleged assets beyond means.

“NAB Sukkur has arrested Syed Khursheed Shah in the assets beyond means case,” a brief handwritten statement issued by NAB Islamabad said.

Multiple corruption cases against Shah are under investigation with NAB. In 2012, an accountability court had directed NAB to file a reference against him on a complaint pertaining to alleged accumulation of illegitimate assets.

In 2013, NAB had reopened two corruption cases against Shah under the directives of the Lahore High Court.

In July this year, NAB Chairman retired justice Javed Iqbal had approved nine inquiries against different personalities, including Shah.

Separately, the National Accountability Bureau has clarified that Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla has not been summoned for any investigation on 9th of this month.

In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson of NAB rejected media reports in this regard as totally baseless and contrary to facts.