College principal guilty of irregularities, states report

Rehman appointed her siblings at the college, awarded contracts for construction to her father's firm

KARACHI: A report of the judicial inquiry conducted against the principal of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical College (SBBMC), Lyari, Anjum Rehman, who is accused of committing large-scale corruption at the institute, was presented to the Sindh High Court on Friday.

The report concludes that Rehman is responsible for irregularities at the institute. It elaborates that she appointed three of her sisters as grade 19 officers at the college, in addition to appointing one of her brothers as a grade 14 officer and another as a grade 15 officer. According to the report, one of her sisters appointed at the college, Dr Sehar Fatima, is working abroad but continues to collect her salary from the college despite her prolonged absence. The report also alleges that another sister of Rehman working at the college runs a private hospital in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and uses government machinery for this purpose. Moreover, Rehman awarded contracts for construction at the college to her father's firm, the report states.

Rehman has acquired a stay order against her dismissal as the principal of the college, which will be maintained till December 12.

Corruption everyday everywhere

Assets beyond means case

Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court (SHC) sought the confirmation of pre-arrest bail pleas filed by Sharjeel Memon's son, Rawal Memon, and others nominated in a reference of assets beyond means. It also directed that the certified power of attorneys of Sharjeel's wife and mother, who are out of the country, be presented to the court.

The directives were issued by a two-member bench, comprising Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh and Justice Omar Sial, during the hearing of pre-arrest bail pleas filed by Sharjeel's wife, Sadaf Sharjeel, and his mother, Zeenat Inam.

Rawal appeared before the court at the hearing on behalf of Sadaf and Zeenat. At this, the bench remarked that if Sadaf and Zeenat are out of country [and cannot appear before the court], then their power of attorneys should be submitted to the court. "The court will only hear the pleas after the power of attorneys are submitted," it said.  The pleas are filed by Rawal and others accused in the case.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case for an indefinite period of time, stating that proceedings will be resumed after the power of attorneys are submitted.

Besides, Memon's wife, son and mother, nine others are nominated in the reference, including Zeeshan, Izhar Hussain, Muhammad Sohail, Saifullah Lohar, Agha Ahsan, Shaukat Ali Thebo, Waseem Akthar Thebo and Kamran Gul.

According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), it has solid evidence against the accused nominated in the reference. The anti-graft watchdog claims to have a complete record of assets acquired through illegal means by the accused.

The accused are alleged of committing corruption worth Rs2.28 billion.

Iqama case

Another two-member bench of SHC, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal, directed provincial minister Nasir Hussain Shah's counsel to continue arguments at the next hearing of the plea seeking disqualification of Shah, Faryal Talpur and Manzoor Wassan as assembly members, over non-disclosure of their iqamas.   Shah's counsel, Barrister Zameer Ghumro argued before the court that Shah held an iqama till 2012. He had surrendered his iqama in 2012, he said, adding that this invalidates the plea's maintainability. Hence, it should be rejected, said Ghumro.

Case of corruption and economic growth in Pakistan

Barrister Ghumro further said, nobody, not even the high court, is authorised to disqualify an assembly member but the speaker.  Ordering Ghumro to continue his arguments at the next hearing, the court adjourned the hearing till December 6.

Acquitted

At another hearing, a bench comprising Justice KK Agha and Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sangi, accepted a plea filed against the sentence awarded to a man convicted in a dual murder case.

Announcing the verdict on the plea, the court acquitted Zainullah, who had submitted a deed of compromise, along with the petition challenging the sentence awarded to him, to the court. Zainullah's counsel informed the court that parties have reached a compromise and the complainant of the murder case has forgiven his client.

According to police, Zainullah killed Naveed Khan and Sudheer Ahmed over personal enmity in 2006, following which a trial had sentenced him to death after finding him guilty of the crime.

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