SHC extends pre-arrest bail to Wassan til 20 March

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday extended the pre-arrest bail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Manzoor Wassan till March 29 in asset beyond income case.

A two-member bench of the SHC heard the pre-arrest bail plea of PPP leader Manzoor Wassan pertaining to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry in assets beyond income sources.

During the hearing, the court asked the NAB prosecutor to provide the progress of the investigation against PPP leader. The prosecutor informed the court that NAB chairman had instructed to continue inquiry against Wassan.

Wassan’s counsel, Barrister Zameer Ghumro, argued that despite the passage of 20 months, the NAB could not inform the court pertaining to progress into the inquiry. He said NAB had stated that the inquiry against Wassan would be closed.

To which, the NAB prosecutor said it comes under the authority of NAB chairman to close or open an inquiry against anyone. He said NAB was collecting pieces of evidence against Manzoor Wassan. The court summoned the investigation officer of NAB in the next hearing of the case.

The high court ordered NAB prosecutor to submit a response in the next hearing and sought a progress report from him. Later, the court extended the pre-arrest bail of Manzoor Wassan until 20 March and adjourned the hearing.

The PPP leader is accused of making assets beyond his known sources of income and owns benami properties too.