SHC seeks report on NAB inquiries into water supply schemes' funds misappropriation

Bench directs NAB prosecutor to produce complete details of funds meant for 613 development schemes in Khairpur

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Tuesday the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) authorities to submit a progress report on an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of Rs340 million in the foreign-loan funded water supply schemes in several districts, including former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah's constituency.

A two-judge bench, headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, directed the NAB special prosecutor to submit the report by November 15, when the identical matters will be taken up again. The judges were hearing bail applications filed by an accused to avoid arrest by NAB in connection with the inquiries into development funds' misappropriation.

A private contractor, Mir Shaukat Ali, had sought bail in a scam relating to the alleged misappropriation in connection with an inquiry into water supply development scheme in Khairpur district, the former CM's constituency.



The applicant's lawyer alleged that the anti-graft watchdog had nominated 112 persons in the inquiry, including the petitioner.

The lawyer claimed that his client, Ali, was a mentally handicapped person, who was malafidely implicated in the scam by NAB authorities despite not being mentally sound.

The proceedings took an interesting turn when Sheikh inquired about the total value of the contract allegedly obtained by the petitioner for the development work. He also inquired how many kids the petitioner had.

To this, the petitioner, Mir Shaukat, quickly replied that the value of the contract was Rs10,000. He added that he had a minor son.

The SHC chief justice told the lawyer that his client was acting very cleverly, as he did not sound like a 'mentally-challenged' person.

The judges directed the NAB prosecutor to produce in court complete details relating to funds meant for 613 development schemes launched in Khairpur district till November 15.



Meanwhile, the NAB prosecutor informed the bench that an amount of Rs340 million funds had been misappropriated in water supply and sanitation development schemes launched under the defunct North Sindh Urban Services Corporation (NSUSC) with a loan from the Asian Development Bank.

The prosecutor informed that three major schemes were launched in Larkana, Shikarpur, Sukkur and Khairpur districts. He told the judges that the actual amount that had been misappropriated could run into billions of rupees after further inquiry.

Sheikh observed that from the value of the funds, it appeared as if the authorities were going to develop upper Sindh on very modern lines.



The top judge expressed his dismay over the state-of-affairs, observing that even the funds meant for the supply of potable water, which were meant to benefit the accused persons' own children, were being misappropriated.

The bench directed the prosecutor to complete the inquiry and submit a report into the alleged scam by November 28.