SHC grants protective bail to Miftah Ismail

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday granted transitory-cum-protective bail to former federal finance minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Miftah Ismail and former managing director Pakistan State Oil for investigations into the illegal award of LNG terminal. Former federal finance minister and former MD PSO Sheikh Imranul Haq had approached the SHC for obtaining transitory cum protective bail to appear before NAB pertaining for LNG terminal inquiry. NAB is inquiring into the award of LNG terminal tender to private company. The defence counsel submitted that former finance minster and PSO’s former MD had received call up notice from NAB Rawalpindi in an investigation against the authorities including former minister for petroleum and natural resources, relevant secretaries and others for illegal award of contract of LNG terminal-I to private firm EETPL. He submitted that PML (N) leader and former MD PSO wanted to surrender to the accountability court for relief as provided under the law and or before the investigation officer for extending their cooperation in the investigation. He submitted that petitioners apprehended their arrest on his way to Islamabad and as such they requested the court to provide protective bail to enable them to surrender before the court of competent jurisdiction. He submitted that Miftah Ismail, who remained as a federal finance minister and advisor to prime minister, had already sent reply to the NAB questioner and has nothing to do with any offence or violating the rules and procedure. He requested the court to grant transitory protective bail to the petitioner so he could appear before the investigation agency. The court without touching the merits of the case granted transitory cum protective bail to PML-N leader and former MD PSO for 7 days and directed them to submit a solvent surety in sum of Rs5,00,000 each.