ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Tuesday, granted bail to accused Hussain Lawai and Taha Raza in the fake bank accounts case. A two-member bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri granted the bail directing the accused to submit Rs1 million surety bond each.
Justice Aamer asked why the NAB complicates issues. Then he asked, when Hussain Lawai and Taha Raza were arrested. The NAB prosecutor Barrister Rizwan replied that they were arrested on July 06, 2018.
Then the IHC bench asked that where is the investigation officer of the NAB?
The prosecutor replied that he is attending hearing of another reference. Then, Justice Jahangiri asked that when was this reference filed. The NAB lawyer replied that the reference was filed on 06 June 2018. The counsel for the accused stated before the court that his clients have been in jail for the last over 33 months and they are facing extreme hardships.
The counsel added that they are suffering from various health problems after their arrest. Meanwhile, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Babar Sattar disposed of former chief minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah's pre-arrest bail plea in the fake bank accounts scam.
During the hearing, Qaim Ali Shah along with his counsel Shah Khawar advocate appeared before the court. At the outset of the hearing, the IHC chief justice asked about the age of the PPP leader. Qaim Ali replied that he is 85 years old.
At this, Justice Minallah asked the NAB prosecutor that do they really want to arrest an old man?
The NAB prosecutor replied that the investigations against former chief minister Sindh are underway and at the current stage they are not going to arrest him. After hearing the reply from the NAB, the IHC chief justice disposed of the pre-arrest bail plea of Shah.
Former chief minister of Sindh is facing charges in various graft inquiries launched by the NAB including allegations of massive corruption in Roshan Sindh project and others initiated by the provincial government.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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