NAB drops inquiry against Pir Mazharul Haq

Former education minister was accused of illegal recruitments, abuse of funds

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau authorities disclosed before the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday that an inquiry had been stopped against former Sindh education minister Pir Mazharul Haq in cases relating to illegal recruitments and abuse of funds.

The national anti-graft watchdog's prosecutor disclosed this before a two-judge bench, headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, during a hearing of Haq's petition for bail.

In 2015, Haq had approached the court against alleged harassment by NAB in connection with an inquiry into illegal appointments and misuse of funds in the education department.



In his petition, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader had said he had come to know through the media that NAB decided to initiate an inquiry against him regarding his involvement as a senior minister in the previous PPP-led government for unlawful use of government funds and illegal recruitments after the 2008 general elections.

The petitioner had maintained that he was being subjected to political victimisation but the accountability courts had acquitted him of all charges.

Claiming that the allegations were fake, Haq had pleaded that the court restrain NAB from taking any coercive action against him.

On Thursday, the NAB prosecutor informed the judges that the inquiry into the scam had been completed. The court was told that neither had misuse of the petitioner's previous office been established nor was it determined that he was involved in any loss to the national exchequer. Therefore, the matter did not require further inquiry and the same was stopped.

Also comprising Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, the bench dismissed the bail petition, as it had become infructuous, in the view of the statement filed by the NAB, ending inquiry against Haq.