An accountability court in Karachi ordered authorities on Saturday to attach the properties of Zain Malik, a builder and the son-in-law of property tycoon Malik Riaz, in a case pertaining to illegal amalgamation of commercial land for a multi-storeyed building in Karachi.

Former Karachi mayor and Pak Sarzameen Party chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal, former Karachi district coordination officer Fazlur Rehman, former executive district officer Iftikhar Qaimkhani are also among those nominated in the case that has been filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The matter came up before the accountability court-III judge Sher Bano Karim today, when Kamal and other suspects appeared before the court. Malik, who the watchdog claims is absconding since the present reference was filed in June 2019, was absent.

The court has already issued arrest warrants for Malik and has initiated the process to proclaim him an absconder.

During the hearing today, the investigating officer of the case filed a compliance report regarding the completion of the process of Malik's proclamation under Section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), as ordered by the court in a previous hearing.

The judge directed the IO to initiate the process of attachment of properties of the suspect, as required under the Section 88 of the CrPC and submit a compliance report on the next date.

The hearing was adjourned till February 20.

In September 2020, the defence counsel for Zain Malik had withdrawn an application seeking his client’s acquittal in the present case, informing the court that he might opt for a plea bargain.

NAB reference

In June 2019, the court had admitted the reference against Kamal, Rehman, Qaimkhani, Mumtaz Haider, Syed Nishat Ali and former Clifton sub-registrar-II Nazir Zardari.

According to the reference, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in 1982 created 198 shops on two amenity plots adjacent to the Kothari Parade for dislocated hawkers while four commercial plots, each measuring 255.55 square yards, were also created in the locality.

It alleged that M/s DJ Builders purchased four commercial plots and 198 stalls. However, the two amenity plots were never transferred in the builder’s name.

NAB further alleged that Malik and others associated with M/s DJ Builders with connivance of the former Karachi mayor Kamal, DCO Rehman and others, unlawfully got transferred 102 stalls in favour of Bahria Town Private Limited through a conveyance deed without obtaining permission from the Karachi Development Authority.

The reference claimed the price of these stalls was shown in the registration deed as only Rs260 million whereas the market value was assessed at Rs2.155 billion and forced sale value was adjudged at Rs1.724bn.

The anti-graft watchdog claimed Malik was the subsequent beneficiary of the amalgamated plot, which was illegally transferred in the name of M/s Bahria Town with active connivance of the main beneficiary (DJ Builders and Developers) and the sub-registrar-II, Clifton.