An Accountability Court (AC) on Monday endorsed the decision of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for freezing assets of former secretary of Sindh Energy Department Agha Wasif in Nooriabad power project reference against Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and others.
AC-III Judge Syed Asghar Ali heard the case lodged by an anti-graft body regarding the above matter, which was also connected with money laundering scam. The accused Agha Wasif, however, submitted objections against the freezing of his property and bank accounts by the NAB.
The NAB prosecutor took the stance that accused Wasif sent a summary to install a transmission line to connect the project with K-Electric. The purpose of the summary was to benefit the main accused persons through giving a legal cover, he said.
He further informed the court that the department had found suspect transactions on the account of the wife of the former secretary including a government cheque. The accused and his wife were given an opportunity to appear before NAB and clarify the matter but they didn’t appear before the investigation team. The prosecutor said that the chairman NAB had approved the request to freeze accounts and property of the accused. He prayed the court to endorse the NAB decision in this regard.
Meanwhile, the counsel for the accused submitted objections against the freezing of assets of his client. He said that the NAB had frozen 13 bank accounts of Agha Wasif and his family members along with a plot in DHA. The NAB had frozen the assets despite the bails granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He prayed the court to set aside the decision of NAB and de-seize his assets. The court sought comments from NAB on the objections of the accused on the matter and adjourned hearing of the case till July 15.
