Sindh govt challenges SC order in fake accounts case

ISLAMABAD: The Sindh Government on Friday filed the review petition in Supreme Court, challenging SC January 7 decision in the money laundering and fake bank accounts case.

The petitioner, approached the court through Advocate General Sindh, Salman Talibuddin, and took the stance that the paragraph of 29, 35 and 37 (vi) of the judgment needed to be modified.

The Sindh government requested the court to transfer the case from Islamabad/Rawalpindi to Karachi National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as issues and allegations were connected with this city.

It further pleaded that, if any inquiry or investigation in the case would be conducted in the capital, then it might create specific administrative and logistical issues which can seriously hamper course of the inquiry.

"The appeal said that the filing of a reference in NAB Rawalpindi was "unlawful" as the "entire alleged record" of the case was in Karachi.

Names of the PPP Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister of Sindh be directed to remove from the Joint Investigation Team's report as per the verbal directions of the apex court, petitioner requested.

Earlier, main accused including, former president Asif Ali Zardari, his siter Faryal Talpur and Omni groups owner Anvar Majid had also filed separate identical petitions.

The top court, in its judgement, dated January 7 had directed NAB to file references against the accused in an accountability court in Rawalpindi or Islamabad, and not in Karachi.

The top court had referred the JIT report and evidence collected to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation, directing the anti-corruption watchdog to wrap up its investigation within two months.

The top court also directed authorities to remove names of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Sindh, Murad Ali Shah from the Exit Control List (ECL).

However, the top court clarified that said persons’ name would be removed from the ECL for the time being, however NAB would not be barred from probing their case further and in case of sufficient material found connected to the said persons with cognizable offences, it shall not be precluded from making an appropriate request to the federal government to place their names on ECL.