SHC extends interim bail of PPP’s Sohail Anwar Siyal

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday extended interim bail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal till November 28.

The high court heard the bail petition submitted by Sohail Anwar Siyal who is facing charges of assets beyond known sources of income which is being investigated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Advocate Shiraz Rajpar told SHC’s Chief Justice that the hearing on the petition filed for removal of Siyal’s name from Exit Control List (ECL) will be held on November 28. He pleaded the court to conduct the bail petition on the same date.

During the hearing, SHC CJ Ahmed Ali Shaikh questioned the assistant attorney general Irfan Aziz whether he has read the case file being heard today. The presiding judge expressed outrage for not reading the case file before attending the hearing.

The judge remarked that the federation has appointed the government lawyers who are unaware of the case details.

The NAB lawyer told the court that Siyal has not provided the copy of his bail petition. To this, CJ SHC remarked that the petitioner or the prosecution should at least get a copy of the petition.

Later, the SHC chief justice directed NAB to submit details of the inquiry initiated against Sohail Anwar Siyal besides extending his interim bail till November 28. The hearing was adjourned.

On June 29, the Sindh High Court had granted protective bail to Sohail Anwar Siyal in a NAB’s corruption inquiry.

Siyal approached the SHC for obtaining protective bail against the initiation of the inquiry by NAB pertaining to his assets and alleged illegal occupation of state land for a housing society.

The petitioner’s counsel had submitted that NAB had initiated an inquiry against the petitioner and his family members pertaining to properties of the former home minister and his alleged involvement in the illegal occupation of state land for a housing scheme.

The court, granting protective bail to the former home minister for a surety of Rs1 million, issued notices to NAB and directed the petitioner to cooperate in the investigation.