SHC seeks report on NAB inquiry against former federal minister

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit progress report with regard to the status of investigations and filing of reference against former federal minister Ijaz Khan Jakhrani in a corruption case.

The direction came on a petition of Jakhrani, a Pakistan Peoples Party leader, who had been issued a call-up notice in a NAB inquiry pertaining to the purchase of bulletproof vehicles and payment of import duties allegedly through fake bank accounts.

Filing comments on the petition, a NAB counsel submitted that the inquiry had been initiated against the former federal minister in compliance with a Supreme Court order. The SHC was informed that numerous armoured vehicles were imported by various individuals, the import duty and other taxes for which were paid through fake/Benami bank accounts.

The NAB counsel submitted that relevant documents were collected from the Customs department and the motor registration authority relating to the Customs clearance and registration of the armoured vehicles in the name of the petitioner.

He submitted that on the confirmation of his ownership, the petitioner was called upon under the Section 19 of the National Accountability Ordinance to explain the sources that were utilised for the acquisition of the armoured vehicles.

The NAB lawyer maintained that all the inquiry proceedings were being conducted strictly in accordance with the law and a reference would be filed after the completion of inquiry/investigation as per the outcome of evidence. He requested the SHC to dismiss the petition. Taking the comments of the NAB counsel on record, the SHC directed him to submit a progress report by May 3.

Death penalty quashed

The SHC set aside death sentence of a man, Wali Mohammad, in a kidnapping-for-ransom case due to lack of evidence.

He was sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court for kidnapping two persons Irfan and Bashir in 2013 after which he filed an appeal against his conviction with the SHC and requested the court to set aside the trial court order claiming he was falsely implicated in the case.

After hearing arguments and perusal of the evidence, the SHC observed that the prosecution had failed to prove its allegations and set aside the trial court order. The court ordered to release the appellant if not required in other cases.