Daily Times

The Sindh High Court heard a NAB petition on Thursday against the accountability court’s decision to grant bail to Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah in the assets reference. The counsels for Khursheed Shah filed their advocacy papers in Sukkur bench of the high court and sought time for preparation for the case. The prosecutor of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was also present in the court hearing.

The court granted the request and adjourned further hearing of the case till February 04. The anti-corruption watchdog had filed a corruption r.eference worth Rs 1.23 billion against 18 persons including the PPP leader. The investigators had also nominated two wives, two sons and son-in-law of Khursheed Shah in the reference. The accountability court had granted bail to Shah in December after the accountability bureau’s delay in filing reference against him.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) Circuit Bench Sukkur had later suspended accountability court’s orders dated Dec 17 to grant bail to the veteran leader of Pakistan People’s Party. Further hearing of the reference by the accountability court Sukkur in the reference against Khursheed Shah has been fixed for today (Friday). Syed Khursheed has been admitted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Sukkur due to his heart ailment.

Meanwhile, the SHC on Thursday extended interim bail of Pakistan People’s Party leader and former Sindh’s minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar in assets reference. Lanjar appeared before the SHC bench for the hearing of the case. At the outset of the hearing, National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) prosecutor said investigation against the PPP leader has been completed and Chairman NAB Justice retired Javed Iqbal was expected to give approval of the reference.

The court extending the interim bail of Ziaul Hasan Lanjar has directed the NAB prosecutor to submit report in the court till February 13 after filing reference. According to the NAB, they had traced Lanjar’s bungalow in Karachi’s Defence area worth Rs 90 million which was not mentioned in his asset declaration form. During the inquiry, it was found that the sale agreement of the bungalow is in his name and but he has transferred the property in his father-in-law’s name. Lanjar, through a frontman, allegedly deposited public funds, including that of a medical college, in his own accounts.

Separately, an accountability court on Thursday granted time to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit reply over acquittal petition of former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in illegal recruitment case.

The accountability court was hearing a case of illegal recruitment in Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) against Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. In the petition Ashraf’s Lawyer argued that the NAB has already denied irregularities in recruitment. He also contended that the court have no jurisdiction to hear the case after recent amendment in the NAB Ordinance. The investigation officer of the bureau pleaded to court for more time to submit reply of the NAB over the plea. The court granted the request and adjourned further hearing of the case till January 24.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and seven other defendants are facing charges of illegal recruitment in GEPCO and were indicted in the case. The National Accountability Bureau had filed reference against Ashraf and other accused on the charge of making illegal appointments in the electric power company. The NAB had filed a reference against the former premier for misusing his authority and violating the rules in hiring 437 employees in GEPCO.