National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday arrested Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani for having assets beyond known sources of income. According to an official of NAB, NAB Karachi arrested Durrani at a private hotel in the federal capital on the directions of Bureau's Chairman former Justice Javed Iqbal. The operation division and intelligence wing of NAB Headquarters supervised the arrest of the Pakistan People's Party leader, he added.
The NAB officials soon after the arrest produced Durrani before an Accountability Court and sought his seven-day transit remand. The NAB official told the court that the NAB had issued arrest warrants for Durrani and references against him were under way in Karachi. They further told the court that the Bureau will shift the accused to Karachi that day or on Thursday and requested for more time due to inclement weather.
Durrani told the court that he was scheduled to depart foor Karachi at 7:00pm Thursday. The court turned down the NAB's request and granted only a three-day transit remand with instructions to produce Durrani in the relevant court in Karachi within three days. The court also asked the NAB to conduct Durrani's medical examination. The NAB has completed arrangements for shifting Durrani from Islamabad to Karachi and he will be shifted soon to proceed with the case, the official added.
The sources said the anti-graft body initiated three separate inquiries against Durrani last year for allegedly owning assets beyond means, illegal appointments, and embezzlement of funds in construction of the MPA Hostel and new Sindh Assembly building.