KARACHI - Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh on Thursday expressed his concerns on the performance of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in ongoing graft cases.
As per details, SHC heard corruption cases against the accused Shafqat Ali Shah, Hameed Ullah and others.
The court during the hearing expressed anger towards Director NAB Karachi and questioned that what are the measures which were taken against the accused suspects? However, the anti-graft body’s investigation officer failed to provide any suitable answer before the court. Expressing anger over investigation officer, the court said that if the bank accounts are empty why you don’t seize the properties of accused.
The court over the failure of NAB’s investigation officer to submit a reasonable reply summoned Director NAB Karachi Shehzad Imtiaz on the rostrum. The court, question Shehzad that who prepares a call-up notice.
To which, the director replied that it is being prepared by the investigation officers of the case. At which, the court in its remarks asked that do you know how to prepare it. The court, however, astonished that NAB’s director doesn’t even prepare a call-up notice.
The court in its remarks said that you are working within the bureau since past 16 years and do not even know how to prepare a call-up notice and ordered him to prepare a call-up notice in the courtroom and asked him to show only a single call-up notice of Karachi that consists all of the charges of the accused.
The court, later on, by ordering the NAB to prepare themselves for the court on next hearing adjourned the case’s hearing till May 30.
Free education, reforms: HC directs parties to present report on 24th
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed provincial education secretary and petitioner to present report on the progress of free education facility and educational reforms in Sindh.
The high court was hearing petitions seeking details of free education facility and other reformations in education sectors in the province.
Provincial education secretary Qazi Shahid Pervaiz appeared in the hearing and pleaded the court that he wants to hold a session with the petitioner. The official said, “We want to tell the petitioner about all of our efforts for education. We will provide all details about expenditures of the education department.”
The high court accepted the plea and ordered the petitioner and education secretary to sit together to find out resolution of the matter. SHC judge directed parties to present report on May 24.
During the hearing, Pervaiz apprised SHC that Global Partnership for Education (GPE) had announced $100 million grant while the Sindh government will present its proposal before the global organisation in Nepal on May 27.
He expressed hopes that the provincial government will get bigger share. The official said that the authorities have prepared a plan which would be presented in the upcoming conference.
Pervaiz further detailed that $50 million was granted by European Union (EU) and $100 million funds will be provided by Japanese ambassador. He added that Sindh is the only province which spends 28 per cent of its budget on education. The government has allocated Rs1 billion for purchases of new furniture for schools, he concluded.
Later, the hearing was adjourned and SHC judge directed parties to present report on May 24.