(Court): SHC orders ex-minister to arrange counsel in land allotment case

Karachi:Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday sought a progress report from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former local government minister Jam Khan Shoro pertaining to the illegal government land allotment case. The court extended the interim bail of the former minister and others till 19 October.

A SHC bench heard a bail plea filed by Shoro and others in the land allotment case. The NAB prosecutor informed the court that reservations raised on the investigation from NAB headquarters had been completed. He stated that the report will be forwarded to NAB headquarters against former minister and others after completion of the investigation.

Shoro stated before the court that his counsel was Khalid Javed Khan who had become Attorney General. The court ordered him to arrange the counsel in the next hearing. “You will have to argue in court if you will not arrange a counsel,” the court remarked while directing the former minister.

According to NAB, former minister and others had allotted government land for a private CNG in Hyderabad and the accused caused loss to national exchequer. Other accused in the case are Muhammad Bachal, Asghar Memon, Muhammad Hussain, Imtiaz Ali, Shahnawaz Soomro, Fida Hussain, Subhan Ali, Zeeshan Qureshi and Akhtar Ali. The court, later, adjourned the hearing till 19 October and ordered the NAB to submit a progress report of the case.