SUKKUR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested the son of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah, Syed Farrukh Ahmed Shah, following the court orders.
According to details, Farrukh Shah had recently filed a request with the Supreme Court for pre-arrest bail in an ongoing probe into possession of assets beyond income. However, the request was later withdrawn and the apex court ordered Farrukh to surrender before the Sukkur court in three days’ time.
Following the court’s order, Farrukh surrendered before the accountability court today (Saturday). The PPP leader was taken to NAB’s office following the arrest. The accountability bureau said it would seek a 15-day remand for Farrukh’s custody.
During court proceedings, Farrukh’s counsel said his client had fully cooperated with NAB’s investigation and that the anti-graft watchdog had acknowledged in court that the probe is complete. “When the probe is complete, what is the need for an arrest?” he asked.
Meanwhile, the NAB prosecutor general argued that the court had ordered that Farrukh surrender to a NAB team but that he had instead surrendered in court.
In an earlier hearing, the prosecutor had also told the court that Farrukh Shah “did not co-operate in the investigation”. He said if the investigation officer asked Farrukh a question, he would reply by saying they should ask his father the same.
Justice Tariq Masood remarked that the apex court had fixed the bail parametres in Talat Ishaq case. NAB had to file a supplementary reference, he added.
Khursheed Shah’s son withdrew his application for pre-arrest bail, at which the court ordered Farrukh Shah to surrender before the accountability court within three days. Farrukh Shah is a member of the Sindh Assembly like his father. He was elected from the PS-24 Sukkur-III constituency on a PPP ticket.
