SC fines Siraj Durrani’s counsel

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on Advocate Salman Akram Raja for not appearing in the bail case of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Umer Ata Bandial heard the bail application of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in a reference filed by the NAB. During the hearing, an assistant of Advocate Salman Akram Raja told the court that petitioner Agha Siraj Durrani wanted to change his counsel. The CJP asked the assistant as to why Salman Akram Raja was not appearing himself in the case. The CJP observed that despite having vast agriculture land, Durrani had constructed only one house till 1990 but questioned as to how he had made numerous properties after 2008. Justice Ayesha A Malik, another member of the bench, said that Salman Akram Raja had not been appearing during the last four hearings and added how change of counsel was possible at the concluding stage of the instant matter. Later the court after imposing a fine of Rs100,000 on Salman Akram Raja adjourned the hearing for date-in-office (indefinite period).