Fake company case: SHC orders unfreezing of accused’s bank accounts

Naib qasid of health department filed appeal against registered FBR case

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday ordered to restore the bank account of Zahid Anwar, a Naib Qasid of the health department, which had been frozen by the tax authorities over outstanding Sales Tax dues. A two-member bench, hearing the plea, observed that a fake company Maysers Mark Enterprises was registered in the name of Anwar by using his CNIC. The Income Tax Department sent a notice for Rs16m sales tax and the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) registered a case against him in the Customs court. According to the petition, Anwar was asked to appear in the Income Tax Department office in 2016. The lawyer for the petitioner said that he was just a naib qasid at a dispensary and the FBR accused him of defaulting in the payment of Rs168,857,540 in sales tax. He said that he had nothing to do with the fake company. His salary account was frozen due to this issue and a case was registered against him. He, however, gained bail from the Customs court. The lawyer said that Anwar, being a part of the polio team, had to give his CNIC in many places, hence somebody misused it and made a company in his name. Anwar’s lawyer told the court that he had nothing to do with it and requested the court to arrest the actual culprits. The court heard the petition and ordered to restore the bank account of the accused.

Missing children

Expressing annoyance with the performance of the police, the SHC directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to help recover missing children and present a progress report by December 6. A two-member bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, heard the plea of the 20 missing children’s families. The court, expressing dissatisfaction with the police performance, directed the FIA officials to take required steps to recover the missing children.

The court remarked that there was suspicion on the non-recovery of missing children and termed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police’s report “unsatisfactory”. The public prosecutor maintained that the FIR has been registered regarding the missing children, to which Justice Phulpoto remarked that the investigation was really slow. The court also cast doubt over the Central Intelligence Agency’s performance in the matter. The court, directing the police to use all possible technological measures to ensure recovery, adjourned the hearing.

CNG load-shedding

The SHC sought a detailed reply from the Sui Southern Gas Company, federal government, and others by November 30 regarding the plea against load-shedding in Sindh. The case was heard by a two-member bench where the plaintiff’s lawyer accused the authorities of bias. He observed that the production of gas in Sindh was 72% while the demand was just 38%. Despite being the largest producer of gas, Sindh was suffering from load-shedding for three to four days a week. The situation has perturbed the locals as they remain in long queues for hours. The court, asking for detailed replies on load management, adjourned the hearing. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2018.