SC issues notice to NAB over Khursheed Shah's bail petition

ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court bench on Wednesday issued notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on bail petition of People’s Party leader Syed Khursheed Shah in assets beyond means case, ARY News reported.

Khursheed Shah’s counsel Barrister Raza Rabbani informed the court that his client has been in jail for last one year and sought the court to grant him bail.

Shah’s counsel requested the bench for fixing the hearing of the case in the ongoing week.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that the bail petition could not be heard this week, while next week several benches will be in Quetta.

Barrister Farooque Naik who is also representing Khursheed Shah, asked the bench to fix the date of the next hearing of the case. “I am pleading several important cases and those court hearings also required my presence,” he informed the bench.

NAB Additional Prosecutor General said that the Sindh High Court in its verdict had granted bails to nine accused of the case. The accountability bureau has filed appeals against the SHC decision seeking hearing of these appeals.

The bench adjourned hearing for two weeks adding that the hearing will be in the week, starting from October 05. The court also directed for hearing of NAB appeals against bail of nine accused in the case.

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 bail orders.