SHC grants NAB time to complete inquiry against Shoro

IO told the court that investigation of the case would be completed in six weeks

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to separate the bail pleas, filed by former local government minister Jam Khan Shoro and 15 other accused, in the reference of illegal allotment of land and illegal assets from those related to the inquiry of these cases.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi was hearing the bail pleas. Shoro and other accused, including Muhammad Hanif, Syed Farzand Ali, Nadeem Ahmed Siddiqi, Fida Hussain Shoro, Syed Iftekharul Hassan, Shahnawaz Soomro, Imtiaz Ali, Asghar Memon, Saleem Ahmed Zahid, Muhammad Bachal Mir Bahar and Shahid Parvez, appeared before the court.

The court asked the investigation officer (IO) whether a reference has been filed against Shoro. The IO informed the court that a reference has been filed in one of the cases and investigation of the other case was underway. Shoro is not cooperating with the NAB in the investigation, said the IO. Addressing Shoro's counsel, the court remarked that if they were not cooperating with the NAB, then was why their plea being heard.

Counsel for Shoro, Advocate Khalid Javed, argued that the investigation pertaining to CNG station was based on ill will.

"We are ready to cooperate in the investigation, provided that it is carried out within legal limits," he said. "How are we to obtain the record of past 30 years of a private CNG station?" he asked.

The court asked the IO how much time NAB required to complete the investigation.  The IO told the court that investigation of the case against Shoro would be completed in six weeks, on which, the court gave extension to NAB for completing the investigation.

The court adjourned the hearing for one plea till August 7, and the hearing for the other till August 22.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2019.