SHC seeks progress report from NAB

Court also hears bail pleas of persons allegedly involved in China-cutting

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought on Thursday a progress report from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) authorities regarding an inquiry into the alleged illegal allotment of plots in KDA Officers Housing Society.

Headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, a two-judge bench sought a report on the issue by December 21.

While hearing a bail petition filed by Syed Intezar Hussain Jafri, the former administrator of the KDA Officers Cooperative Housing Society, the chief justice came down hard on the authorities concerned over alleged irregularities in the allotment of plots in the housing society.

The top provincial judge remarked that it seems that everyone colludes in corrupt practices. The bench members observed that given the way the former administrator, Jafri, had looted the society's resources he should be made head of real estate in the country.



NAB's investigator informed the judges that the private lands adjoining the KDA Officers Housing Society were illegally taken into the society in 2012. He disclosed that later the former administrator illegally allotted 43 plots to his relatives on the basis of nepotism.

The investigator claimed that 26 of the accused had confessed their involvement in the scam and surrendered to NAB, adding that five others were engaged in negotiations with the bureau.

The NAB officer maintained that the inquiry had already been completed and a reference against the accused persons will soon be filed with the accountability court concerned.

The bench directed the NAB authorities to complete the inquiry and file the reference against the accused persons at the earliest. It also sought a progress report in this regard by December 21.

 China-cutting

The NAB investigators, meanwhile, informed the same bench that Minhaj Qazi, the former security incharge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's headquarters Nine Zero, was involved in land encroachment and fraud to the tune of Rs320 million.



The disclosure came during a hearing of bail petitions filed by Muhammad Shoaib Naeem, Sohail Ilyas, Shomaila Moiz.

The NAB prosecutor said a reference regarding land encroachment, illegal sale of land through China-cutting and fraud with the public has been filed with the relevant accountability court.

The prosecutor disclosed that Qazi, Ilyas and others are also nominated in the reference for defrauding the public and earning up to Rs320 million. "The accused persons introduced a residential bungalow scheme but never gave possession of the land to the allottees," the prosecutor claimed.

During the proceedings, the judges took exception to a request made on behalf of Advocate Khalid Mehmood, the lawyer representing Naeem.

The judges were irked by his request and noted that in every second case lawyers turn up with adjournment requests.

CJ Sheikh asked whether the courts should be closed down if the lawyers do not appear.



Advocate Syed Mehmood Alam Rizvi requested the court to order NAB exclude his client, Moiz's name from the reference, as she had retired from her post.

The chief justice remarked that the accused was serving when the residential bungalows project was launched by the accused persons, therefore, the petitioner will have to return the money if the allegations against her were proven regardless of whether she had retired or not.

The hearing on the bail pleas was adjourned till November 24.