SHC orders to send corruption reference against Dr Asim back to NAB chairman

F.P. Report

KARACHI : The Sindh High Court on Monday ordered to send the corruption reference against PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain back to NAB chairman.

A two-member bench headed by Justice KK Agha pronounced the decision while hearing the corruption reference of Rs17 billion against Dr Asim Hussain and others in the high court.

The Sindh High Court accepted the petition of Dr Asim Hussain and others regarding the jurisdiction of the accountability court. In the court, Dr Asim’s lawyer Farooq H. Naik took the stance that a reference had been made against Dr Asim as a minister accusing him of giving gas to companies of his choice.

Naik, giving arguments, said that after the new law, this reference no longer fell within the jurisdiction of the accountability court.Justice KK Agha said that now the new amendment had been introduced, legislation was the prerogative of Parliament.

Naik said the JJVL reference of Rs17 billion corruption was against the law.

The accountability watchdog has reportedly arrested Muhammad Khan Bhatti, the principal secretary of the former Punjab chief minister, Parvez Elahi. According to officials in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Muhammad Khan Bhatti has been arrested over charges of embezzlement to the tune of Rs1 billion in the award of development contracts. He is accused of the misuse of authority and involvement in illegal recruitments in Gujrat and other cities.