Fake accounts case: Sindh CM Murad to appear before JIT today

Murad Ali Shah's name appeared in the JIT alongside Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah will appear before the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) joint investigation team (JIT) today (Monday) in the multi-billion rupee fake bank accounts case.

The anti-graft watchdog had initially summoned the Sindh CM to appear before it for questioning on March 26, but agreed to Murad’s request to appear a day earlier.

The NAB will question him in connection with the case in which 172 high-profile individuals, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and sister Faryal Talpur, are under investigation.

The bureau has written a letter to the district administration of the federal capital to ensure strict security at its office for Murad’s appearance.

On Wednesday, Zardari and Bilawal appeared before the same JIT to record their statements. A large number of PPP supporters, who had answered their leadership’s call to show up for the hearing, clashed with the police that resulted in injuries to policemen and the detention of dozens of PPP workers.

The court has summoned Zardari, Talpur, Hussain Lawai, Anwar Majeed and others, to appear on April 8 for the next hearing.

A banking court in Karachi had last week accepted NAB’s plea to transfer the fake bank accounts case to the accountability court in Islamabad for trial.

The case, which dates back to 2015, investigates the creation and use of fake bank accounts for alleged money laundering. The Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the case in June last year and formed the JIT in September.

During its investigation, the FIA has arrested several close aides of Zardari, including the head of the Omni Group, in connection with the case. It focuses on 32 accounts of 11 entities that were used for allegedly laundering billions.