Sharjeel Memon’s bail plea to be reheard in NAB reference

Charges not framed in accountability court over ex-minister’s no-show due to ill health

The Sindh High Court has directed its office to fix the bail petitions of former Sindh information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, officials of the information department and advertising companies’ representatives charged with corruption for a fresh hearing by a bench as per the roaster in the first week of July.

The directive was issued by Justice Mohammad Junaid Ghaffar, head of a two-member division bench, who observed that the petitions were heard and the judgment was reserved, but before the order could be announced, another member of the bench was no more a judge of the bench pursuant to a decision of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. 

According to the court order, the matter will be re-fixed before a bench available as per the roster. Memon, a leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, along with information department officials and advertising companies’ representatives, was booked in a corruption reference by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over charges of committing corruption in the award of advertisements of awareness campaigns of the provincial government in the electronic media involving over Rs5 billion.

According  to the NAB reference, the investigation was conducted into corruption and corrupt practices in the advertisement awareness campaigns on TV and FM channels between July 2013 and June 2015 and it was found that the accused acted in connivance with each other, causing a loss of Rs3.279 billion to the national exchequer.

It was revealed in the investigation that amounts totalking Rs5.766 billion were paid to seven advertisement companies in violation of the Sindh Public Procurement Rules 2010. Memon was alleged of issuing contracts to favourite advertising agencies at exorbitant rates even without confirming the market rates. Besides, the former information minister directly approved the media plan submitted by the advertising agencies.

The ex-minister ended his about two years long self-imposed exile and returned to Pakistan in March this year. On his arrival at the Islamabad airport, he was arrested by NAB officials. He was released after the verification of his bail before arrest and a written undertaking from his lawyer that he would comply with authorities’ orders.

Memon’s no-show 

Charges could not be framed in the NAB corruption reference against Memon and others due to the PPP leader’s failure to appear before an accountability court on Tuesday over health grounds.

An application, moved on behalf of Memon, said the defendant’s health was very critical and he was admitted to the Jinnah Hospital on Monday. It said doctors advised him not to leave the hospital and he was being provided with due medical treatment.  A medical report about Memon’s health condition was  submitted to the court. The attorney for the ex-minister requested the court to adjourn the hearing till August. 

The court said putting off the hearing for a long time could create an issue in the media and it would not be fair to do so. The judge adjourned the hearing till July 28.  Former information deputy secretary Anita Baloch is a co-accused in the corruption reference and she has been declared a proclaimed offender.

Niaz Khoso’s plea

The Sindh High Court issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau on a petition of former police officer Niaz Khoso against harassment. Former SSP Khoso submitted that NAB issued a call-up notice to him and he apprehended his arrest at the hands of NAB. His counsel said that the petitioner went to Saudi Arabia for performing Umra and there was the likelihood that he may be arrested on arrival.  The court issued a notice to NAB and directed it not to arrest the petitioner till the next hearing.