KARACHI - The Sindh High Court on Friday issued notices to the federal government, chief election commissioner and other respondents on a petition seeking disqualification of Sindh Home Minster Soahil Anwar Siyal, until June 5.

A division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Mazhar was hearing a petition filed by Allah Bukh Unnar, seeking disqualification of Sohail Anwar Siyal for holding iqama (work permit) of UAE. The petitioner’s counsel submitted his initial arguments.

Allah Bukh Unnar, nephew of former minister Altaf Unnar, submitted that Suhail Anwar Siyal hold iqamas of UAE and did not mention it to the election commission. He pleaded the court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to disqualify the minister and do not allow him for contesting election in 2018.

The petitioner submitted that the provincial minister Sohail Anwar Siyal has been working as ‘sales consultant’ at a company in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. A copy of Siyal’s Iqama (UAE work permit), was also attached with the petition. He added that the work permit was issued on April 6, 2014.

Siyal was elected as a member of Sindh Assembly from Larkana. He currently serves as Home Minister in the Sindh cabinet.

The court was also prayed to restrain those politicians from contesting elections in Pakistan.

Citing secretaries, interior, establishment, law, parliamentary affairs, Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Establishment, ECP and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) director general, and others as the respondents, petitioners had prayed the court to disqualify all politicians who were holding dual nationality or iqama of other countries from taking part or contesting general elections.

JATOI GETS BAIL

The Sindh High Court on Friday granted interim pre-arrest bail to former chief minister and federal minister Liaquat Jatoi against a surety of Rs 1000,000, in an inquiry pertaining to a corruption and other charges, until June 12.

Justice KK Agha headed bench heard a plea filed by Liaquat Jatoi, who moved with an application seeking pre arrest bail by submitting that NAB would harass him as chairman NAB approved to conduct inquiry against him and others, he pleaded to restrain NAB form his arrest, he added that there was no any evidence of corruption was produced against him. He also assured the court that he would cooperate with NAB in inquiry, the court granted his plea and directed the NAB not to arrest him till further order.

Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had decided to go after in a case of alleged misuse of authority, federal minister Liaquat Jatoi and others. NAB would file a corruption reference against Mr Jatoi and others for illegally appoints causing a massive lose of nearly Rs21.6 million to the national exchequer.