Former Ogra chief Tauqir Sadiq. PHOTO: FILE.
The capital’s high court on Monday sought a reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over a bail application filed by the principal accused in the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) scam.
A two-member Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench comprising Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan and Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi heard the case.
Ex-Ogra chairman Tauqir Sadiq is the main accused in Rs82-billion scam and has been on judicial remand since July last year.
Advocate Sardar Asmatullah, the petitioner’s counsel, maintained that NAB was detaining his client without producing any substantial proof.
The court adjourned till the next hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
On November 25 2012, the apex court had struck down Sadiq’s appointment as Ogra chairman. He fled the country soon after. NAB officials had brought him back to Pakistan on July 9, 2013.
According to the NAB reference, Ogra gas member Mansoor Muzaffer Ali, finance member Kamal Farid Bijrani and staff officer to the chairman Jawad Jameel were also involved in the scam.
The trial itself is pending in the accountability court, with references against Sadiq and two former premiers — Yousaf Raza Gilani and Pervez Ashraf.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2014.
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