AC fixes hearing of assets beyond income case against Khursheed Shah

SUKKUR: An accountability court in Sukkur has fixed the hearing of assets beyond income cases against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Khursheed Shah and others on October 5 after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) pleaded for producing new witnesses, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The judicial magistrate of Sukkur issued notices to parties for their appearance on September 21 where the witnesses produced by the anti-corruption watchdog will be cross-questioned.

The court summoned Khursheed and other accused persons in the assets beyond income reference. A final challan will be presented before the accountability court in view of the statements recorded by the witnesses October 5.

Read: SHC turns down Syed Khursheed Shah’s bail plea

Earlier in August, the accountability court in Sukkur had deferred indictment of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah in assets beyond known sources of income case.

The hearing of the case had been presided over by AC Judge Farid Anwar Qazi. PPP leader Khursheed Shah and other accused had appeared before the court. At the outset of the hearing, NAB’s counsel had requested the court to defer the indictment as more evidence has been gathered against Shah and others.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also nominated two wives, two sons and son-in-law of Khursheed Shah in the reference.

Read: NAB constitutes JIT for inquiry into Khursheed Shah’s assets

It is pertinent to mention here that the anti-graft watchdog had filed assets beyond means reference of Rs 1.23 billion against Syed Khursheed Shah and 17 co-accused.

The accountability court had granted bail to Shah in December after the accountability bureau’s delay in filing reference against him. However, the Sindh High Court (SHC) Circuit Bench Sukkur later suspended the accountability court’s orders dated Dec 17 to grant bail to the veteran Peoples Party leader.

Earlier in the month of April, the SHC had also rejected the plea filed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Syed Khursheed Shah, seeking bail in the assets case.