3 years on, NAB yet to wrap up asset inquiry against ex-minister

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to complete an asset inquiry against former Sindh minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and others at the earliest.

A two-judge bench of the high court directed the bureau to submit a progress report in this regard by December 24. The court extended the interim bail granted to Lanjar, Khan Bahadur and Hassan Effendi until next hearing.

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Lanjar and other accused have been out on bail since 2017.

During the hearing, the NAB prosecutor stated that the national graft buster’s regional office had sent the inquiry for approval to the NAB headquarters that has returned it raising objections. He said the bureau is now conducting the inquiry in light of these objections, for which more time is needed.

At the previous hearing, the court had asked NAB prosecutor Ubaidullah Abro to explain why the bureau has not yet filed the reference in the case and how much more time it needed to do the same.

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The prosecutor stated that the NAB has got more evidence against Lanjar as it has traced his another benami property in Sakrand. The former provincial law minister owns benami land measuring 260 acres in Sakrand, he said and added the verification process of the benami property is underway.

The prosecutor said the bureau needs more time to wrap up its investigation against the accused.