NAB given a month to finalise inquiry against CS, others

Karachi

The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to finalise the inquiry against the Sindh chief secretary and others in case pertaining to regularisation of six acres land and submit a report before the court within a month.

Hearing the petition filed by the Sindh chief secretary against a NAB’s inquiry regarding the regularisation of six acres land in Scheme 33, the court also took exception over absence of the chief secretary despite court directives.

Mohammad Siddique Memon had assailed the call up notice of the NAB with regard to allotment and regularisation of the land in sector 52-A Corridor area of the Scheme 33 in Karachi for residential and commercial purpose.

The counsel of the petitioner submitted in the petition that the NAB had taken cognizance with regard to allotment and regularisation of the land in question to Mohammad Ayub.

He submitted that the allotment of the land was cancelled but later on the application of Ayub, the allotment of the land was regularised in January 2008 by a committee headed by the retired judge of the high court.

He submitted that the petitioner had neither any nexus with the original allotment nor he was a member of the committee which had regularised the aforesaid allotment as he was afterward posted as the secretary of the Land Utilisation Department.

He further submitted that the NAB had also been aware about the regularisation process of the lands committee as two army officers from the station headquarter and five corps were also members of the committee along with the finance and the land utilisation department members and the process was completed after examination of all the relevant record and clarification. 

The NAB counsel submitted that the inquiry had been completed against the chief secretary and others and the matter was referred to the NAB chairman for further action in accordance with the law.

The court directed the NAB to finalise the inquiry in accordance with the NAB law and submit the report after completing the process.

The NAB counsel had earlier filed comments in the petition, mentioning that the regularisation committee was deliberately misguided and facts were concealed from the committee.

Besides, it stated that the allottee in connivance of the government officials managed to get verification of the fake challans.