KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) given last chance to NAB officials for submitting comments on a petition filed by Muhammad Javed Hanif, former chairman Karachi Port Trust (KPT), who is involved in a case of charges of corruption, corrupt practices and abuse of authority for illegally appointing 940 employees in KPT.
On September 24, 2018, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Abdul Rasool Memon, heard the matter.
During the hearing, counsel for the NAB once again sought time to submit its comments; however, court given the last chance to NAB officials and adjourned the matter.
Earlier, Rashid A Rizvi advocate argued on behalf of Muhammad Javed Hanif and said that his client was contesting general election and due the arrest, he was deprived of free and fear election campaign.
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, 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.
