Order reserved on former KDA DG's bail plea

Defence lawyer argues that Nasir Abbas caused no loss to national exchequer

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) reserved on Friday its order on an application seeking bail for former Karachi Development Authority (KDA) director-general (DG) Nasir Abbas in a Rs385 million corruption reference.

Headed by SHC Chief Justice (CJ) Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, a two-judge bench reserved its order after hearing arguments from the defence lawyer and a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor.

In his concluding arguments, Abbas's lawyer maintained that NAB had not accused the petitioner of the illegal conversion and transfers of plots. The lawyer added that no loss was caused to the national exchequer after the lease of such plots.

To the court's query whether the petitioner admitted to having transferred such plots, the lawyer argued that no plot was illegally allotted to anyone by the former KDA DG.

The lawyer pointed out that his client was taken into custody before NAB initiated any inquiry against him into alleged illegal land conversion and plots' transfer.



The SHC CJ observed that the petitioner was also accused of issuing no-objection certificates (NOCs) to set up petrol pumps. He also questioned whether petrol pumps could be set up on temporary basis.

The NAB investigation officer (IO) argued that ample evidence was available against Abbas to establish his role in the commission of the alleged offence. It was claimed that the petitioner had signed documents for the conversion of residential plots into commercial ones in the capacity of the KDA DG. The IO also claimed that the petitioner had also issued NOCs to set up petrol pumps.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the bench reserved its verdict on the bail plea. The order will be announced on a date to be later notified by the office.