Punjab’s former minister Sibtain Khan files bail plea in LHC

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Punjab’s former minister Sibtain Khan on Thursday filed a plea seeking bail in corruption charges.

Currently, Sibtain Khan is in National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) custody for probing into the corruption charges of illegally awarding a contract of multi-billion rupees worth of 500 metric tonnes of iron ore in Rajwah and Chiniot in 2007.

A two-member bench of the LHC headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najfi heard the plea.

Sibtain in his plea stated that the NAB has arrested him over the fake charges, being a minister he obeyed rules and regulations.

He pleaded the court to set him free on bail from the NAB custody. Later, the court sought reply from the accountability watchdog by issuing a notice to it.

Sibtain Khan had tendered his resignation from the post of provincial minister for forestry, wildlife and fisheries after being arrested on Friday by the NAB in relation to corruption charges against him.

Khan sent his resignation to Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar.

The PTI leader was allegedly involved in handing out illegal tenders in his ministry.

Sibtain Khan belongs to the paternal contingency of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Mianwali.

Khan previously held the provincial ministry for natural resources in 2007. He was previously a member of Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) before joining PTI.