Former CM acquires pre-arrest bail in NAB inquiry

The Sindh High Court accepted the pre-arrest bail plea of former Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah in the National Accountability Bureau’s inquiry against him pertaining to abuse of power and land allotments. Fearing possible arrest by the bureau, Shah approached the court. His counsel contended that the national watchdog was carrying out inquiries against Shah on the basis of malafide intent.

He moved the court to grant Shah’s pre-arrest bail in the new graft inquiry against him. The court accepted Shah’s pre-arrest bail plea against the surety of Rs300,000 till February 23. The court issued notices to the NAB DG and other parties while directing the former chief minister to cooperate with the bureau’s inquiry. According to the NAB prosecutor, Shah is accused of abusing his powers during his tenure as the CM and he illegally allotted 43 acres of land in Brohi Goth, Nazimabad. Notices issued Meanwhile, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto issued notice to the prosecutor-general over convict Ishaq alias Bobby’s plea against the death sentence awarded to him by an antiterrorism court in the case pertaining to attack on a dargah in Zaman Town.

Read SHC grants bail to Qaim Ali Shah in another NAB inquiry

Admitting Ishaq’s plea for hearing, the court sought the case records and paper book and issued notice to the prosecutor-general. According to police, Ishaq, who is affiliated with a banned organisation, was involved in an attack on Dargah Nazar Shah within the limits of Zaman Town Police Station on August 23, 2014. Three men were killed in the attack. An ATC had convicted Ishaq for his involvement and sentenced him to death six times.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM PPI