Ex minister’s arrest: SHC directs NAB to file comments

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday directed the National Accountability Bureau and the deputy attorney general to file comments on a petition filed by former ports and shipping minister and Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader against his arrest in a corruption reference.

The former minister and PML(N) leader Kamran Michael was arrested by the NAB for illegally allotting three commercial and residential apartment plots at prime locations of KPT Cooperative Housing Society in Karachi to his favourite persons after allegedly receiving a huge sum. The petitioner's counsel submitted that former port and shipping minister was neither named in the inquiry nor in the reference of KPT land allotment scam. He submitted that the arrest of the petitioner is part of political victimization by the ruling political party.

The court after preliminary hearing of the petition issued notices to the NAB and federal law officer and called their comments by March 19. Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court directed chairman Anti Corruption Establishment to submit affidavit about pending inquiries in the province. Hearing the petition of Khair Bux, the court expressed dissatisfaction over chairman anti corruption's report.

According to the report, as many as 87 inquiries were pending for the last three years, of which 73 inquiries were decided while 14 inquiries of 2018 were still pending. The report stated that 1,569 complaints were received by the ACE out of which 157 FIRs were registered. It was submitted that 1,176 complaints were referred for departmental action, 141 complaints were closed while 81 complaints were re sent for further inquiries. The court directed the Chairman ACE to file an affidavit about the status of the inquiries on the next date of hearing.