The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday extended interim bail of former Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in fake bank accounts case. A division bench of IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition of the former chief minister Sindh and extended his interim bail until April 30.
Previously, the same bench had granted pre-arrest interim bail to Qaim Ali Shah in a case pertaining to money laundering through fake bank accounts against Rs1 million surety bonds till the next date of hearing to be held April 8 and directed him to cooperate with National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Qaim Ali Shah expressed the apprehension in his petition that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials might arrest him during his appearance before the investigation team, and requested the IHC to grant him pre-arrest bail on the grounds that he is a senior citizen. The petitioner stated that he is 85-year-old and is thus entitled to pre-arrest bail.
On the last hearing, the counsel for the former CM informed the court that NAB had summoned Shah in connection with an investigation into Thatta Sugar Mills and Dadu Sugar Mills cases.
The court observed that the petition was about NAB's call-up notice in the Thatta Sugar Mills inquiry. The counsel said that he would file another petition regarding the second NAB notice about the Dadu Sugar Mills inquiry.
The former chief minister has been named in a report by the joint investigation team tasked with probing the fake accounts case. He is among 172 people named in the report whose names were recommended for being placed on the no-fly list.
The senior politician in his petition contended that he was being politically victimised through the case, and claimed that he had been dragged into the case without any solid evidence. He maintained that the NAB had no evidence against him and therefore prayed to the court to stop NAB from arresting him and grant him pre-arrest bail.
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