PPP senator granted protective bail by SHC

Karachi  

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday granted protective-cum-transitory bail to Pakistan People’s Party Senator Sehar Kamran in an ongoing inquiry of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding embezzlement and misuse of community school funds in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia.

Ms Sehar Kamran, who is presently in Saudi Arabia, submitted in her petition filed through her attorney Furruk Ejaz James that NAB had issued a call-up notice on December 29 with regards to embezzlement and misuse of funds and fees of students while she was the former principal of Pakistan International School (English section) in Jeddah.

Kamran submitted in the petition that she had been principal of the private self-financed community school from 1999 to 2013, and it was neither a public office nor an institution governed under any Pakistani laws. Her counsel, Shazia Ahmed Hanjrah, submitted that her client was apprehending imminent arrest under the garb of a call-up notice issued by NAB and sought protective-cum-transitory bail. She said the petitioner was the former principal of Pakistan International School in Jeddah and wanted to join the investigation/inquiry in relation to its affairs. Special Prosecutor NAB Noor Mohammad Dayo, who was present in court, waived the notice of petition and extended his consent for granting protective bail.

A division bench headed by Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh  granted protective-cum-transitory bail to the PPP senator for 10 days to enable her to appear before the authority concerned and furnish surety of Rs500,000. Disposing of the petition, the court also observed that the order will cease to have its effect on January 28 or as soon as the petitioner surrenders herself before the authority concerned.