Dr Asim can’t transfer power of attorney during trial, SHC told

A federal law officer informed the Sindh High Court on Thursday that former federal petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain’s request for the transfer the power of attorney to his son could not be granted under the national accountability law.

Hussain, who is a close associate of former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, has filed a petition submitting that he wants to give the power of attorney to his son, Ammad Hussain, who is a Canadian national, in respect of Ziauddin Medical Centre and his declared bank accounts in Dubai. 

His counsel contended that Hussain executed the power of attorney in favour of his son in the presence of the competent authority, which was also acceded to by an accountability court hearing a corruption reference against him. 

However, the counsel said, officials at the foreign affairs ministry’s office refused to attest the transfer of the power of attorney. 

He said the officials had informed him that there were various cases pending against his client before the national accountability court and an anti-terrorism court; therefore, attesting the power of attorney would affect the cases. 

The federal law officer opposed the request and said that the petitioner’s request could not be granted under the NAB law that prohibited the transfer of property to a relative till adjudication of a reference or an investigation.  The high court directed the counsel to prepare their arguments and adjourned the hearing till November 15.

 

‘Prisoner of conscience’

Describing Dr Asim Hussain as a prisoner of conscience, the Sindh chief minister after meeting him on Wednesday hoped that the former federal minister, who faces charges of providing medical treatment to terrorists at his hospital, would be exonerated from all charges against him.

Speaking at a press conference at the Sindh Secretariat after he went along with his law adviser Murtaza Wahab to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre to inquire after the health of Hussain, Shah said he had greeted the former federal minister on obtaining bail in one of the cases against him.

“Dr Asim was arrested around one and a half years ago and hopefully will soon be exonerated in all the cases,” he added.

“Dr Asim has been granted bail in one case but there are several others lodged against him but I am sure justice will prevail. We will prove that baseless cases were lodged against him.”