KARACHI, Nov 27: Judge Syed Aley Maqbool Rizvi of Accountability Court-I on Tuesday adjourned till Nov 30 the hearing of a NAB reference pertaining to a land scam against R. B. Rahoo and others on the request of the public prosecutor.

On Nov 20, the court had asked the public prosecutor, Naeem Tanoli, to present documents regarding the disputed land in court, but he failed to produce the same and requested for more time.

According to the reference (No 8/07), the accused are allegedly involved in an illegal transfer and subsequent allotment of about 75 acres adjacent to Mai Kolachi Road to certain private parties.

The former Sindh Assembly speaker, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, was also nominated in the FIR on the grounds that the illegal allotments had been effected by his approval. However, during the proceedings of the reference, he was found not guilty and therefore, acquitted.

Records showed that the land in question, belonging to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT), was acquired for the city’s uplift and that no payment for the land was made by the provincial government to the KPT.

The reference stated that the piece of land was fraudulently sold out to some private parties at a throwaway price, thereby causing heavy losses to the government exchequer. In the FIR of the case, it was maintained that the piece of land carried a market value of Rs300 million but was sold at Rs204.977 million after several plots were carved out and allotments were made illegally.

Alliance Motors

The same court also deferred the pronouncement of its order in a reference against the Alliance Motors till Dec 1. The court had recorded final arguments on Nov 20 from both sides.

According to the reference, the Alliance Motors has been charged with luring investments to the tune of Rs3.57 billion from 50,000 depositors and investors by inducing them on attractive profit on the hope that their business was established, somehow the colleted amount was distributed to the relatives and close friends of the accused, thereby, the accused cheated the public at large, and committed the offence of fraud as defined in clause (ix) (x) and (xii)of Section-9(a) punishable under Section-10 (a) of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

The accused in the case are Asghar Ali Qureshi (late), Hamid Ali Qureshi, Mohammed Tayyab and Mohammed Ibrahim.

Opinion

Editorial

Kurram atrocity
Updated 22 Nov, 2024

Kurram atrocity

It would be a monumental mistake for the state to continue ignoring the violence in Kurram.
Persistent grip
22 Nov, 2024

Persistent grip

An audit of polio funds at federal and provincial levels is sorely needed, with obstacles hindering eradication efforts targeted.
Green transport
22 Nov, 2024

Green transport

THE government has taken a commendable step by announcing a New Energy Vehicle policy aiming to ensure that by 2030,...
Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...