Assets beyond means: court summons accused

An accountability court has directed all accused to appear at the next hearing in the reference concerning alleged assets beyond known sources of income against former Sindh Assembly Speaker late Agha Siraj Durrani and others.

The hearing was held at an accountability court in Karachi, where the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted an application seeking withdrawal of the reference.

According to NAB officials, the main accused, Agha Siraj Durrani, has passed away, as has co-accused Zulfiqar Ali Dahar. Following their deaths, legal proceedings against them have ceased.

NAB further stated that the charges against the remaining co-accused are limited to allegedly holding benami (front-owned) properties and providing assistance to the principal accused. In the absence of the main accused, continuing proceedings against the co-accused would likely be inconclusive.

The Prosecutor General of NAB also opined that, under the current circumstances, pursuing the reference would be futile and requested permission to withdraw the case under the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

Due to the unavailability of the presiding judge, a link court adjourned the hearing until April 1.

The late Agha Siraj Durrani was accused of accumulating assets worth over Rs1.61 billion beyond his known sources of income.