SHC orders completion of FCS corruption reference

Allows accused's family to draw up to Rs150,000 from his frozen account every month

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court ordered on Wednesday the completion of Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) corruption reference proceedings within four weeks, warning that the investigation officer (IO) would otherwise be sent to jail.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Omar Sial and Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sangi, during the hearing of a plea pertaining to freezing the bank account of former FCS vice-chairperson Sultan Qamar Siddiqui - who is nominated in FCS corruption reference - also granted permission to Siddiqui's family to draw money from the accused's frozen accounts on a monthly basis.

Claiming that Siddiqui had drawn a huge sum of money from his account before it was frozen, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor questioned, "How did Siddiqui draw Rs50 million when his monthly income was just Rs40,000?"

At this, Justice Sial remarked, "Why don't NAB officials look into these details at the time of arresting the accused?" He called for the NAB prosecutor to show some mercy since the accused had young children.

Allowing Siddiqui's family to draw up to Rs150,000 from his frozen account every month, the court ordered the completion of the corruption reference proceedings against the accused within four weeks, warning that that the IO would be sent to jail otherwise.

The court adjourned the hearing of the plea till August 15.

Data theft case

The same bench refused to hear a petition pertaining to the alleged sale of sensitive data of 115 million Pakistanis on the dark web and returned the reply submitted by the federal government on the petition.

According to the petition, the sensitive data of 115 million Pakistanis was put up for sale on the dark web on April 10. It claims that the data, comprising national identity card numbers, residential addresses and other details of cellular phone uses, was put up for sale for Rs350m on the dark web.

"We have noted that you file such petitions only for publicity," remarked Justice Sial while addressing the petitioner, Tariq Mansoor, at the hearing.

Stating this and returning the federal government's reply, the court refused to hear the plea and adjourned the hearing indefinitely.

LPG contract cancellation

The bench also dismissed a plea pertaining to the discontinuation of a liquefied petroleum gas extraction contract between Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL).

According to the plea filed by JJVL, SSGC had entered an agreement with it, awarding a contract to the company for gas extraction. It claimed the permission for this was also granted by the Supreme Court, provided that the endeavours were carried out in line with relevant laws.

However, at the hearing, the JJVL counsel informed the court that the company had decided to withdraw the plea as the situation was starkly different when it was initially filed and that it planned to file an amended plea at a later date.

Irked by the information, Justice Sial rebuked the counsel for "attempting to misguide the court by trying to get a stay order on the matter."

The court dismissed the plea.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2020.