Court grants five days' transit remand of Kamran Michael to NAB

LAHORE: An Accountability Court of Lahore granted five days’ transit remand of former ports and shipping minister Kamran Michael to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a case of abuse of authority on Saturday.

The accountability watchdog had requested the court for a transit remand of five days for the former minister.

A team of NAB Lahore arrested Kamran Michael, a minister in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government, in a corruption inquiry on Friday.

The former minister has been accused of illegal allotment of plots of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on favoritism and misuse of powers, NAB sources said.

He was wanted to NAB Karachi for power abuse and illegal allotment of KPT plots.

The accountability bureau will request the accountability court for transit remand of Kamran Michael.

The former ports minister has been accused of 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.

According to a NAB official, the former minister abused his authority by making allotments of plots in 2013, adding that the plots are over Rs one billion worth.

Kamran Micheal remained the minister for ports and shipping between 2013 and 2016. He had held several portfolios in cabinets during different governments.

The accountability bureau chief had ordered an inquiry in January 2018, against Michael for alleged abuse of his authority.