Reference against ex-minister, others: SHC orders NAB to submit report by January 28

Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday ordered National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit the report in the court by January 28, 2020 by filing reference against Jam Khan Shoro, former Sindh Minister and others in illegal allotment of government land.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh issued the orders while hearing the petition of Shoro and thirteen others, who have been accused in illegal allotment of the government land. The court inquired from NAB about the status of inquiry against the accused. The NAB investigation officer informed the court about filing of reference and said reference has been sent to NAB headquarter Islamabad for approval after conclusion of inquiry in this case.

The court extended the bail of Shoro and others till January 28, 2020 as well as directed the bureau to submit the progress report of filing of reference by the time of expiry of the bail. The NAB accused Shoro and other for allotting illegally the government land for a CNG station in Hyderabad, which NAB said caused huge losses to government exchequer. NAB submitted another inquiry is also underway against Shoro for illegal allotment of land in Karachi.

Meanwhile, the SHC bench gave fifteen days time to Sindh Govenremnt to get the bill related to use of CNG cylinders passed from the provincial cabinet.

Hearing the petition against CNG cylinders in schools vans, the court ordered provincial government to legislate on this issue. Additional Advocate General Sindh told the court that an authority will be constituted to check the misuse of CNG cylinders and said progress would be made on it after the meeting of Sindh cabinet.

He informed that meeting would be held in next few days when the court asked about the holding of the meeting. He told the court that law department has finalized the draft on it. The court directed the petitioner to submit its proposals with the provincial government for constitution of this authority to check the CNG cylinders in school vans.