KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday granted interim pre-arrest bails to two section officers of the government – Muhammad Saleem Jahangir and Nisar Ahmed Qureshi – who were facing charges of making illegal appointments in the local government department.
The SHC bench – headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan – was hearing the bail pleas by two government officers submitting that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had initiated an inquiry against them in relation to illegal recruitment in the local government department during the period of 2010 to 2013.
The applicants informed the court that the NAB had issued them call-up notices on which they attended its office but they were summoned again. The government officers added that all the charges against them were baseless as according to them, the appointments were made on merit and after fulfilling all legal formalities.
Qureshi and Jahangir maintained that they wanted to join NAB’s inquiry but apprehend that they could be arrested. Citing NAB’s regional director and chairman as the respondents, the applicants prayed to the court to declare NAB’s call up notices as illegal. The SHC was further requested to restrain the bureau from arresting them.
The court approved their interim pre-arrest bails against the surety bonds of Rs 200,000 each. It also issued notice to NAB’s prosecutor to file the comments on September 22. The bench directed the government officers to join the inquiry as and when required by the NAB and not to leave the country by furnishing their passports.
The accused Nisar Ahmed Qureshi informed the court that he had never obtained the passport on which the court directed him to file affidavit within 24 hours. The SHC also asked the interior ministry not to issue fresh passports to Qureshi and Jahangir so that they cannot leave the country.
