KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed NAB officials to submit further supporting documents for cancellation of bail of suspects on separate bail applications filed by Muhammad Javed Hanif, Rauf Akhtar Farooq, former chairman Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and others, who were involved in a case of charges of corruption, corrupt practices and abuse of authority for illegally appointing 940 employees in KPT.
On March 14, 2019, investigation officer and special prosecutor for NAB appeared before the court and filed documents. During the hearing, a key witness from NAB side namely Saifullah Khan, deputy sectary port and shipping also appeared before the court.
After the arguments, court adjourned the matter for March 29, 2019 and directed NAB officials to file more relevant documents for supporting that alleged suspects did corruption and corrupt practices.
Earlier, Rashid A Rizvi advocate argued on behalf of Muhammad Javad Hanif that his client is contesting general election and due to the arrest, he was being deprived of free and fair election campaign, therefore, court may release him immediately. However, court declared to take up this matter after filing reply of NAB officials. The court adjourned the matter for July 27, 2018 and directed NAB officials to file comments on next date of hearing.
It needs to be mentioned here that Muhammad Javed Hanif, former chairman Karachi Port Trust (KPT), is confined in Central Jail Karachi on judicial remand. Court fixed application for hearing for July 23, 2018.
According to the NAB officials, Javed Hanif is involved in charges of corruption, corrupt practices and abuse of authority for illegally appointing 940 employees in KPT in connivance with (the MQM’s) Babar Ghauri, the then minister for ports and shipping. He further argued that the appointments were made in violation of KPT law, rules and regulations “without advertisement of vacancies, competitive process, age criteria, and medical examination of appointees and in violation of basic formalities”.
A large number of those appointed had a criminal record in serious cases such as “terrorism, premeditated murder and robbery” and that the illegal appointments resulted in losses to the national exchequer to the tune of Rs2.8 billion, NAB said.
