Pakistan's NAB arrests Sindh Assembly Speaker from outside Supreme Court
Dec 03, 2021
Islamabad [Pakistan], December 3 : The National Accountability Bureau in Pakistan has arrested the Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani from outside the Supreme Court after the apex court had earlier ordered him to surrender before the NAB, reported local media.
The orders were given during a hearing of the provincial Assembly Speaker's plea seeking bail in an asset beyond means case, reported Geo News.
NAB had filed a reference against Durrani, his family members and others for allegedly accumulating assets worth Rs 1.6 billion through illegal means.
According to NAB Durrani was unable to account for a difference of Rs 1,610,669,528 between his declared income from 1985 to 2018, and assets including properties and vehicles.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah during the hearing observed that the Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected Durrani's bail plea on the basis of merit.
Shah stated that Supreme Court cannot conduct a hearing on this plea without the high court's verdict.
Emphasising that Durrani should have been in jail if SHC had rejected his bail plea, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said that why should the court offer him leniency if he did not surrender to the police.
According to Geo News, the apex court ordered Durrani to turn himself in, saying: "First comply with the SHC's order and surrender before NAB and then [the court] will conduct a hearing on this case next week."
