Non-bailable arrest warrants issued against Kidwai

In illegal allotment of Sindh’s welfare plots , trial court directs all nine accused to be present at next hearing

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Younus Kidwai in the case of illegal allotment of welfare plots in Sindh.

Judge Muhammad Bashir was hearing the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

As per the reference, the accused caused loss to the national exchequer by illegal allotment of plots reserved for a temple and a library.

A total of nine accused, including former Karachi administrator, Matanat Ali and Younus Kidwai, a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, are named in the reference.

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Of them, only one was present at the hearing. Najamuz Zaman was brought from the jail and presented before the court.

The lawyers for three more accused Syed Khalid Zafar Hashmi, Syed Jamil Ahmed and Abdul Rasheed filed exemption pleas.

Taking notice of the absence of Kidwai for the fourth consecutive time, the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him.

The court ordered all of the accused to be present at the next hearing.

The court also directed to present copies of the case to all the accused at the next hearing.

The case was adjourned till June 11.

In another fake accounts reference in which Bagh Ibne Qasim land was illegally allotted, accused Dr Dinsha was presented before the accountability court judge Bashir after completion of his three-day physical remand.

The NAB requested a further 10-day physical remand of the suspect, saying more investigation was required.

The court, while rejecting NAB’s plea, sent Dr Dinsha on judicial remand. The accountability court judge directed NAB to conduct all inquiries from the accused in jail.