Hearing of corruption reference against Morai, others adjourned

An accountability court on Monday adjourned till November 8 the hearing of a corruption reference against former Fishermen’s Co-operative Society (FCS) chairman Nisar Morai, vice chairman Sultan Qamar Siddiqui and 12 other co-accused.

The prison authorities did not produce Morai on the hearing. They informed the court that he was unwell, to which the court directed the chief medical officer of the prison concerned to present a medical report on his health. The court, meanwhile, adjourned the hearing.

Non-bailable arrest warrants for two absconding accused, Abdul Mannan and Abus Saeed Khan, have also been issued by the court. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has accused the 14 former FCS officers of their involvement in corruption and making illegal appointments of more than 400 employees.

The NAB authorities had arrested four officers of the FCS, Gul Munner, Shaukat Baloch, Haji Wali Muhammad and Abu Bakar. During interrogations, the four suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in corruption involving around Rs5 billion, which they had allegedly committed on the directives of Morai.

The federal anti-graft watchdog also accused the four men and others of involvement in illegal appointments against around 400 vacancies. Morai is also facing trial in a murder case. He is said to be involved in the murder of Pakistan Steel Chairperson Sajjad Hussain in 1998 in Defence Housing Authority.