SHC seeks NAB’s comments on plea against freezing of accounts

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file comments on identical petitions filed by businessmen against the freezing of their accounts and the placement of their names on the exit control list.

Chanda Lal, Saroop Kumar and other petitioners submitted that NAB had frozen their accounts and placed their names on the exit control list on the basis of investigations being conducted against former Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Aijaz Khan Jakhrani with regard to the accumulation of wealth beyond known sources of income.

They further said that they were rice exporters and had nothing to do with the assets of the former MNA; however, NAB had issued them with notices by declaring them as benamidars of ex-lawmaker.

They submitted that around $2.2 million which were outstanding against foreign buyers could not be remitted to the country due to the freezing of their accounts.

They requested the court to declare the NAB letters with regard to the freezing of their accounts and the placement of their names on the ECL as unlawful and to order the restoration of their accounts. The court directed NAB to file comments on the petitions and adjourned the hearing till August 18.