ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday granted time to the counsel of PPP leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah to respond to the questions raised by the court regarding the NAB appeals opposing bails.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Mushir Alam conducted hearing of the appeals of Khursheed Shah and his son seeking post-arrest bails. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also filed the application opposing the PPP leader’s bail.
According to the NAB, after conducting inquiry and investigation and collecting evidence against him, they have filed a reference against Khusheed Shah in NAB Court Sukkur. He was nominated accused in No.1 in the Reference No.17/2019 along with 17 others. The petitioner/ accused in connivance with other co-accused persons accumulated assets beyond their known sources to the tune of Rs.1,229,449,803/-, which are disproportionate to their known sources of income, said the NAB report.
Justice Mushir Alam said that the option of bail was limited in NAB cases. The larger bench of the apex court had also clarified the principle of bail, he added.
Raza Rabbani advocate representing PPP MNA Khusheed Shah said that he was unaware of the larger bench’s decision.
Justice Mushir said that it seemed that his team had not assisted him properly.
Justice Yahya Afridi, another member of the bench, asked from the counsel to argue in the case only if he could explain Khurshid Shah’s assets. He said that Khurshid Shah has accepted his family’s properties before the Sindh High Court.
He asked from the counsel to argue the case on merit if the PPP leader’s assets are according to his known source of income. He asked that what were the sources of income of Khurshid Shah when entered into politics? Rabbani responded that the PPP MNA had declared his assets in his wealth returns.
Justice Afridi said that it was not a matter of disclosing properties, it was a matter of sources of income. Rabbani said that the FBR had never issued notice to Khursheed Shahd regarding his properties. The NAB filed the reference by overestimating the value of the assets, he added.
He said that Khursheed Shah was also investigated in 2001. The NAB found nothing for seven years and later it closed the investigation, he added.
Justice Afridi said that the sources of income would reveal through record. Rabbani then requested for time for preparation of questions asked by the bench.
Accepting the plea, the court deferred the hearing for indefinite time.