SHC directs NAB to file reference against Durrani by June 11

IO informs court the reference against Durrani and his brother has been approved

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered the NAB officials to file a reference by June 11 against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and his brother, Masihuddin. A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh and comprising Justice Omar Sial was hearing the bail pleas filed by the two accused.

The IO told the court that the reference against Durrani and his brother had been approved. NAB informed the court that the reference will be filed in the accountability court today (Thursday).

The NAB officials said that Durrani has been found in possession of 35 cars and property worth millions of rupees. The investigation against Durrani and his brother have been completed. He allegedly made illegal appointments, committed corruption by unfair use of power and has more assets than his income allows.



Durrani's counsel argued that his client was in jail and therefore the bail plea should be heard. CJ Shaikh remarked that when the evidence hasn't been revealed before the court, how can the bail plea he heard. What will the court hear and on what basis would it make a decision, he asked. The bail plea will surely be heard once the reference is filed, he assured.

The court ordered NAB officials to file a reference and submit the report by June 11.

Wheat theft

The SHC scolded the food department secretary and director in the case pertaining to the theft of wheat from different warehouses in Sindh.

Chief Justice inquired from the food department secretary what rate wheat was being sold at. The food department secretary failed to tell the court what the rate was. The CJ remarked, "How would you know about it, it is the concern of the poor". The CJ then inquired from him if he there were four types of wheat in Sindh. The food secretary again failed to furnish a reply.

The CJ asked on what basis was Dr Hassan Zaidi appointed the secretary of the food department. "It seems that he has been appointed to serve someone else's interest instead of the public. He is a journalist by profession but has been appointed as secretary". The CJ further remarked that journalists have a lot of knowledge and they are efficient in their job. "What is so special in Hassan Zaidi?" he asked and expelled him from the courtroom.

Report sought

The SHC ordered the home ministry to submit a report, after gathering data from all prisons of the country and other relevant organisations, over the pleas for the recovery of more than 70 missing persons.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice KK Agha heard the pleas in which the brother of a missing person, Faheem Islamuddin, said that every month a hearing is held in which few words are said by the IOs and a few by the court after which the hearing is adjourned. "No criminal record of our brother has been revealed to date," he said.

Saqib Bhatti was also taken into custody with Islamuddin, but the former returned home after three months. "Our brother is missing for four years but no progress has been made," added the brother.

Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto remarked, "We are trying our best and we have our sympathy with the affected families". He added that there were eight joint investigation teams (JITs) to investigate the cases but there were no results to show.

The court ordered the federal government to assist the police for the recovery of missing persons and sought a report from the home ministry.

The court also summoned all the SSPs of investigation zone at the next hearing and sought a progress report regarding the recovery of two brothers, Maaz and Talha.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2019.