An accountability court in Karachi on Thursday granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) the physical remand of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani till March 1. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader was presented before the accountability court amid tight security as the anti-graft watchdog sought his physical remand. “Durrani is accused of owning assets beyond known sources of income. His 14-day physical remand should be granted,” the NAB prosecutor told the court. To this, Durrani’s counsel said, “On Wednesday, the PPP leader’s house was raided and officials misbehaved and harassed his family members. My client is not being given medicines and is not even allowed to meet his family.” Questioning whether NAB has a ‘personal enmity’ with his client, Durrani’s counsel said, “I will submit a written plea against the attitude of NAB officials.” “There is no need to grant his physical remand,” he pleaded the court.
However, the accountability court remanded Sindh Assembly speaker into the NAB custody until March 1.
The PPP leader was brought to the court in an armoured vehicle. He was greeted by several party workers and supporters who showered the vehicle he was travelling in with rose petals. Senior party leaders, including Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah and former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, were also present at the court. Speaking to reporters, Shehla Raza said PPP will challenge Durrani’s arrest at every platform.
Saeed Ghani also lashed out against the government and said the ongoing accountability in the country was a ‘sham’. He declared that party members were ‘not scared of arrests’.
“We are being punished for being loyal to our country,” he said, and added that NAB was ‘created only for the PPP’.
“Why Durrani is being asked to resign when the prime minister, who is also facing NAB inquiry, is not resigning,” he asked. “Durrani was not a fugitive, yet his hotel was surrounded by NAB authorities for seven hours,” he lamented.
Published in Daily Times, February 22nd 2019.
