Illegal allotment of KPT land: SHC orders NAB to file reference against Kamran Michael

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday ordered National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file reference against Kamran Michael, former Federal Minister for Ports & Shipping in allegedly illegal allotment of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) land by October 4, 2019.
A division bench of the SHC headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh gave the orders while hearing the bail plea of Michael and other accused in illegal allotment case. The NAB prosecutor told the court that reference against Michael has been finalised when counsel for the accused pointed out that reference against his client has not been filed so far.
"Court staff has not presented the reference, the NAB attorney said, at which court replied the NAB should submit the application to administrative judge if the court staff is not cooperating with it.
Giving the observations during the hearing, Justice Sheikh said that state agent has a role in illegal cases of land allotment and they are even able to prepare a fake power of attorney in such cases.
The NAB prosecutor also informed the court that Akram Javed has been appointed as Deputy Prosecutor General to pursue the cases.
Investigation officer submitted that Micahel caused losses to national exchequer by allotting the land of KPT illegally, Michael counsel contended that his client has been politically victimized.
The same bench also approved the bail before arrest of Syed Owais Qadir Shah, Sindh Minsiter for Transport in "asset beyond means" case.
Court granted the bail till October 16, 2019 against Rs 0.5 million surety and directed Shah to cooperate with the NAB during the investigations.
Owais Shah approached the court on the plea that NAB has started investigations against him and his family in "assets beyond means" case because NAB officials have written a letter to Chief Commissioner RTO Sukhur to seek details of my assets.
Shah said that he feared arrest despite the fact that NAB didn't sent him call-up notice so far.
He assured the court of his cooperation to the NAB and argued that there is no secrete assets in his name.
Meanwhile, SHC division bench again issued show-cause notice to Secretary Schools Sindh after he failed to appear in the hearing of the petition against closure of 46 higher secondary schools in the province.
Court was informed that Secretary Schools Qazi Shahid Pervez was transferred after he was issued a show-cause notice earlier.
Government attorney also sought the time to submit the reply about the closure of higher secondary schools, which court granted.
Petitioner Barrister Rafiq Kalhoro submitted that 46 higher secondary schools have been closed down in the province, which adversely affected 150,000 students.