KARACHI: Former Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh has been granted protective bail from the Sindh High Court (SHC).

The court also ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to not arrest Dr Sheikh upon his return to Pakistan. The bail has been granted for 10 days against surety bonds of Rs100,000.

Earlier, Hafeez Shaikh who is on a foreign visit through his counsel move the SHC expressing fear that he may be arrested by the NAB when he will return to the country. The court ordered the NAB not to nab the former finance minister on his return to the country.

In July 2021, NAB Karachi recommended filing a reference against Dr Sheikh and two former chairmen of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Abdullah Yousaf and Salman Siddique. They were accused of misuse of authority and causing loss of over $11m to the exchequer. Dr Sheikh was alleged to have been involved in misuse of authority as finance minister during the Pakistan People’s Party government.