ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Thursday accepted the bail request of Pakistan Peoples Party MP Khurshid Shah in a case pertaining to the holding of assets beyond declared income.
However, the court decided to keep his name on the Exit Control List but said the accountability court that was hearing the case could decide to remove it.
The court also directed the former opposition leader in the National Assembly to submit bail bonds of Rs10 million to finalise the bail.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial — part of the two-judge bench, other being Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, that took up Shah’s bail request — directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to continue its investigations but not keep the politician in jail “permanently”.
He was arrested in September 2019 by the dirty money watchdog and has since been under police custody though he was admitted to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Sukkur days later for treatment.
Multiple corruption cases against Shah are under investigation with NAB. In 2012, an accountability court had directed the agency to file a reference against him on a complaint pertaining to the alleged accumulation of illegitimate assets.
In 2013, NAB had reopened two corruption cases against Shah under the directives of the Lahore High Court.
In July 2019, NAB Chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal had approved nine inquiries against different personalities, including Shah.
Shah enjoys an influential position in the PPP and was its chief whip in the 2008-2013 National Assembly. He is considered a trouble-shooter as far as relations with other parties are concerned, mainly on account of his good connections with all political parties.
