Daily Times

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday suspended the bail granted to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah in assets beyond means case.

On December 17, an accountability court had granted bail to the former leader of opposition. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had challenged the decision of his release in the Sindh High Court.

A two-member bench of the SHC Circuit Bench Sukkur suspended bail of Khursheed Shah after hearing arguments from NAB prosecutor and the lawyers of the accused. Further hearing on the NAB’s plea was adjourned till January 19.

Separately, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted bail to former finance minister Miftah Ismail in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) case.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mian Gul Hassan approved the bail for the PML-N leader against surety bonds of Rs 10 million. During the hearing, the chief justice observed that there is no need to keep a person accused of a white-collar crime behind bars.

IHC grants bail to PML-N’s Miftah Ismail in LNG case

Miftah Ismail, who has been in Adiala Jail on judicial remand, was taken into custody by the anti-corruption watchdog on August 7 when this court declined his request to extend his interim bail in the case.

Ismail had filed the bail petition after the high court granted bail to former managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Sheikh Imranul Haq, a co-accused in the same case.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday adjourned the hearing into bail pleas of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique without any proceedings.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan heard the case. During the hearing, assistant of Khawaja brothers’ lawyer Ashtar Ausaf appeared before the court and informed that the counsel was feeling unwell due to which he couldn’t appear before the court.

On April 26, the NAB Lahore had approved filing of a reference against the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia for alleged corruption. Qaiser Amin Butt, the director of Paragon Housing Society, was also included in the inquiry initiated by the NAB, and arrested in November last year. Later, he agreed to turn approver against the Khawaja brothers and Zia.

On December 11, 2018, Khawaja brothers were detained by the accountability watchdog after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected their bail plea. Agencies

Separately, PML-N leader Mian Javed Latif and his five associates recorded their statements before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in assets beyond means case. Javed Latif along with his colleagues Anwar Latif, Munawar Latif, Akhtar Latif, Amjad Latif and Ahsan Javed were summoned by the anti-graft watchdog. The bureau handed over a questionnaire to all of the PML-N leaders. The NAB sought information about sources through which they had bought various properties. The anti-graft watchdog also sought information about Javed’s farmhouse constructed on one kanal land, and his home which is spread over a two-kanal area.