Illegal appointments: SHC orders NAB to complete inquiry against former minister

The bench directed inquiry officer, prosecutor to submit report by November 15

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) came down hard on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials on Wednesday for not completing an inquiry pending since 2011 against Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Abdul Rauf Siddiqui over his alleged involvement in illegal appointments in the provincial industries department.

Headed by SHC Chief Justice (CJ) Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, a two-judge bench directed the NAB inquiry officer (IO) and prosecutor to complete the inquiry against the former minister and submit a report by November 15.



Earlier, the special prosecutor and IO for the anti-graft watchdog had informed the judges that illegal appointments were made in the Sindh Small Industries Corporation.

They further disclosed that such illegal appointments were made at the behest of the former minister for provincial industries department, Siddiqui.



CJ Sheikh inquired why Siddiqui was not taken into custody if appointments were made in contravention of the laws. He remarked that only employees are taken into custody, inquiring whether the NAB authorities dared to arrest a minister. The prosecutor and IO, however, could not answer. They said that the inquiry into the scam had been completed.

CJ Sheikh inquired whether the bureau had nominated the former minister among the accused persons in the inquiry. The IO said that a call-up notice was sent to Siddiqui but he did not turn up to record his statement.



This statement visibly irked the top judge, who questioned why the former minister was not arrested for his failure to appear before the authorities to record his statement. The bench directed the prosecutor and IO to complete the inquiry and submit a report by November 15.