Overseas treatment: SHC allows Munawar Talpur to travel abroad

He is facing an inquiry before NAB on charges of corruption, embezzlement

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) allowed on Tuesday Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and brother-in-law of former president Asif Ali Zardari, Mir Munawar Ali Talpur, to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) in order to receive medical treatment.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, granted Talpur permission to travel abroad for two months subject to furnishing a Rs5-million surety and the original passport of his relative with the court Nazir (official).

Talpur, who is a PPP MNA from NA-227, is facing an inquiry before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in relation to alleged corruption and embezzlement.

He had approached the court to seek pre-arrest bail, alleging that NAB had issued him a call-up notice regarding the alleged illegal allotment of land and the embezzlement of millions of rupees.

According to the petitioner, NAB was trying to implicate him [Talpur] in false cases despite the fact that he was never involved in any corruption or misuse of authority.

During Tuesday's proceedings, Talpur moved an application through his lawyer, Advocate Farooq H Naek, seeking permission to travel to UK via Dubai for medical treatment from December 14, 2016, to February 14, 2017. Along with the plea, Talpur produced various documents regarding his treatment.

The investigation officer, Muhammad Abbas, said that Talpur was extending complete cooperation during the inquiry.

NAB special prosecutor Muhammad Altaf Khan also recorded his no objections before the court.

"In view of the above and keeping in view the documents annexed along with the petition, the petitioner [Talpur] is permitted to go to UK via Dubai with effect from December 14, 2016, to February 14, 2017, for his medical treatment subject to furnishing an additional surety of Rs5 million to the court Nazir," the judges wrote in the order.

They also directed Talpur to deposit the original passport of his relative, Riaz Ali, as requested by his lawyer with the court Nazir. The court also directed the interior ministry to permit Talpur to proceed with his travel for the aforesaid period for the purpose of only medical treatment.

Talpur was directed to appear in court and also deposit his original passport with the court upon his return.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2016.