An accountability court in Karachi on Saturday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for 12 fugitives, including members of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani’s family, in a reference against the speaker and others suspected of amassing assets worth over Rs 1.61 billion through illegal means.
During the proceedings, the court asked the investigating officer what steps had been taken against the fugitives and whether they had been served notices, to which the IO responded in the affirmative. The court also ordered that the CNICs of all the fugitives be blocked and their arrest warrants issued. Durrani’s wife Naheed Durrani, his son Agha Shahbaz Durrani and four daughters are among the 12 suspects for whom arrest warrants have been issued.
Additionally, the court directed the investigating officer to take action against the fugitives and present a report. The proceedings were adjourned till Oct 22.
Durrani, a senior leader of the PPP, was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from an Islamabad hotel on February 20 this year for an investigation concerning a case related to accumulating assets beyond means. The NAB is examining Durrani’s movable and immovable assets, 352 allegedly illegal appointments he made, and his alleged embezzlement of public funds in the construction of the MPA Hostel and the new Sindh Assembly building, as well as the appointment of project directors for these schemes.
