NAB’s corruption inquiry: Notices issued on Sharjeel Memon’s pleas

Former information minister has approached SHC over alleged inquiry, travel ban

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued on Monday notices to federal and provincial authorities on petitions filed by former provincial information minister Sharjeel Memon regarding corruption inquiries and a travel ban against him.

A division bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, directed the deputy attorney general, the additional deputy prosecutor general of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the provincial advocate general to file comments.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, currently residing in Dubai, had filed two separate petitions through his attorney Mazhar Hussain Pitafi, who informed the bench that the petitioner recently learned through the media that NAB had initiated a corruption inquiry against him.

He maintained that neither the petitioner has been involved in corrupt practices nor has he ever misused power during his tenure as a minister.

The counsel alleged that attempts are being made to implicate Memon in fake inquiries for offences he has never committed. He sought directions for the NAB Sindh DG and chairperson to refrain from booking his client in connection with any 'fake' inquiry.

The bench issued notices to the NAB DG and chairperson, along with additional deputy prosecutor general NAB to file comments by January 7.

Travel ban

In the second plea, the PPP leader said he had also come to know that his name had been placed on the exit control list. He pleaded the court direct the federal interior ministry to remove his name from the list.

The same bench issued notices to the interior secretary, immigration director-general and the deputy attorney general to file comments by January 15.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5^th, 2016.