ISLAMABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has questioned the efficacy of the National Accountability Bureau, adding that his trial in the Nooriabad reference is of no consequence.

Mr Shah made the remarks after his appearance before an accountability court in connection with the Nooriabad reference on Thursday.

The Sindh CM is accused of misusing his authority as provincial adviser and awarding contracts without feasibility studies of the projects, thus causing a loss of Rs8 billion to the exchequer.

The reference is an offshoot of the fake accounts case where he was accused of using his influence and releasing funds for the Nooriabad Power Plant (NPP) in violation of rules.

Court urged to wait for SC verdict in NAB law case

The NPP project was launched in 2014 under the public-private partnership at a cost of Rs13bn in which the Sindh government holds 49 per cent shares.

The remaining 51pc shares were owned by a private company.

It is also alleged that Mr Shah concealed material facts from the Sindh cabinet and allegedly misled it to benefit the Omni Group of companies, owned by Anwar Majeed, a close aide to President Asif Zardari. He also allegedly managed to release a Rs3bn loan to the companies concerned.

According to the reference, the NPP project was conceived to allegedly whiten the Omni Group’s ‘black money’.

Mr Shah’s counsel Arshad Tabrez informed the court that the matter related to the National Accountability Ordina­nce, which is pending adjudication before the Supreme Court.

He suggested the accountability judge, Nasir Javed Rana, to wait till the final decision of the apex court. Subseq­uently, the hearing was adjourned till June 26.

Talking to media persons after the hearing, CM Sindh said the court had conducted over 50 hearings in this reference, but to no avail.

According to him, NAB has filed a”‘flawed” reference and suggested that a comparison should made on the cost-effectiveness of entire proceedings.

Meanwhile, judicial magis­trate Suhaib Bilal Ranjha summoned witnesses in a case about liquor and display of weapons against Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

CM Gandapur sought exemption from personal appearance.

The court accepted the application seeking exemp­­tion, and adjourned further proceeding till Friday (today).

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2024