Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday restrained National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from arresting former Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) chairman Moeen Aftab Shaikh in references relating to corruption in PSM. A division bench of SHC headed by Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheik issued notices to secretary Cabinet Division and NAB authorities for filing comments and adjourned the hearing of case to a date to be fixed later by the court office.
Petitioner's counsel Ismat Mehdi told judges that former PSM chairman had been issued a notice by NAB authorities directing him to appear before assistant director investigation in an inquiry into PSM corruption case. The counsel said that former chairman had been nominated in eight references for allegedly misusing his powers with ill-intentions, causing billions of loss to PSM. In all these references, he had been allowed bail. She said that under the garb of same allegations, Moeen had again been issued notice with the mala fide intentions.
She requested the court to restrain NAB from arresting former chairman and declare as illegal the letter issued to him. The court restrained NAB authorities from taking any coercive action against former PSM chairman in violation of laws. It directed him to appear before NAB authorities to record his statement. Former chairman of PSM was terminated by the then Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, on 18 August 2008. Moeen Aftab, a retired BPS-22 officer, and ex-member of the Audit and Accounts Service, was appointed as Chairman PSM on a contract basis. He was, however, removed by the prime minister following reports of alleged corruption in PSM.
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