SHC dismisses Sharjeel Memon’s plea for urgent hearing

Karachi

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday dismissed an application filed by former provincial information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon for an urgent hearing of his protective bail petition following the initiation of a corruption inquiry against him.

The PPP leader, who has been living in self-exile in London after law-enforcement agencies launched a crackdown against politicians and bureaucrats over corruption, said through his attorney, Mazhar Hussain Pitafi, that he came to know through media that the National Accountability Bureau had initiated an inquiry into corruption during his tenure.

The counsel submitted that neither the petitioner was involved in corrupt practices nor had he ever misused his power during his tenure as a minister of the provincial government.

Memon submitted that attempts were being made to implicate him in fake cases for offences that he had not committed and sought protection against any coercive action. He requested the court to restrain NAB from arresting him in connection with any inquiry or taking any coercive action and grant him protective bail so that he could defend charges.

NAB had submitted before the court that former information minister was required in corruption inquiries, including the embezzlement of billions of rupees in the information department. 

NAB investigators said the bureau had sufficient evidence and Memon could be interrogated or charged on arrival in the country. 

The court dismissed the application for urgent hearing as the petitioner’s counsel did not press the application.