Allottment of 84 acres land to Dr Asim: SHC takes notice of non-implication of Land Utilisation department officials in case

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday took an exception over non-implication of Land Utilization Department officers by the National Accountability Bureau in allotment of more than 84 acres of land to former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain in different parts of the city.

Issuing a detailed order on bail petitions of co-accused involved in Rs462 billion corruption reference against former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain, the SHC observed that it is surprising that besides four acres land allotted to Dr. Asim in North Nazimabad and Clifton area for charitable purposes, more than 84 acres land had been allotted to Dr Asim in different parts of the city but no official from the Land Utilization Department had been arraigned as accused in the NAB reference, which is clearly manifest malafide on part of the prosecution.

The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro, observed in the judgment that investigation officer of the case informed the court that more than 84 acres had been allotted by the Land Utilization department to Dr Asim Hussain in different parts of the city for educational, medical university, industrial and other purposes, which was other than four acres land mentioned in the NAB reference.

According to the IO, four acres land has been allotted to Dr Asim Hussain at NC-54 Deh Jam Chakro, two acres in Sector 52-A NC-97 Deh Bitti Amri, four acres in NC-24 Deh Dih Karachi, 25 acres in NC-108 Deh Chulair for Ziauddin Medical University, 15 acres land at NC-24 Deh Dih for educational purposes, 10 acres land in NC-24 Deh Dih, District Malir, for industrial purposes and 24.26 acres for educational city in eh Chanhar.

The court observed that there seems to be a case of pick and choose as the investigation officer had not arraigned any official as accused who allotted amenity plots to Dr Asim Hussain in 1994 or those who restored the allotment. The court observed that it is surprising, rather astonishing, that more than 84 acres valuable lands in different parts of the city were allotted to Dr. Asim Hussain by the Land Utilization Department but none of those who allotted these valuable lands to Dr Asim had been arraigned as accused in the reference is clearly manifest malafide on part of the prosecution.

Dr Asim Hussain, a close aide of former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, was facing corruption references pertaining to land fraud amounting to Rs.9.5 billion, money laundering amounting to Rs3 billion and misuse of authority, criminal breach of trust through fertiliser scam of Rs450 billion.

Former petroleum and natural resources secretary Ejaz Chaudhry, Karachi Docks Labour Board’s former CEO Safdar Hussain, Karachi Development Authority’s ex-directors Syed Athar Hussain and Masood Haider Jaffery, and Ziauddin Group finance director Abdul Hameed have also been named as co-accused.

The court confirmed the bail of three co-accused in the case but dismissed the bail plea of Dr Asim Hussain’s finance director in money laundering charges.The court observed that the case of co-accused Syed Athar Hussain, ex-additional director of Karachi Development Authority, falls within the purview of further inquiry and granted him bail in the sum of Rs1 million. The court also confirmed the interim pre-arrest bail of former CEO of Karachi Docks Labour Board Mohammad Safdar and former petroleum ministry secretary Ejaz Chaudhry in the reference.

The court, however, dismissed the petition of co-accused Abdul Hameed, finance director of Dr Ziauddin hospital and recalled the interim pre-arrest bail order. The court observed that pima facie evidence of the prosecution connects the petitioner with the charges of conversion of illegal money into assets by way of money laundering, which is a white collar crime. The finance director of Dr. Ziauddn hospital was later arrested by the NAB after dismissal of his petition.