BHC grants protective bail to Akram Khan Durrani in corruption cases
Durrani was given protective bail in housing scheme corruption and assets beyond means cases as well
QUETTA (Dunya News) – The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has granted protective bail to former Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Akram Khan Durrani for 15 days.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Hameedullah Baloch heard the petition of Akram Khan Durrani. The Balochistan High Court approved his request and granted 15 days protective bail in three cases, including alleged corruption in the housing scheme and assets beyond means case.
On Oct. 7, Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Akram Khan Durrani appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi to record his statements in an inquiry against him on corruption charges and for allegedly accumulating assets beyond his known sources of income.
According to the NAB notices, Durrani was directed to appear before investigation officer (IO) and deputy director Mohammad Adeel Akhtar in the NAB Rawalpindi Office on Oct 7.
Reportedly, the accountability watchdog has ordered Durrani to present record and details of assets owned by him and his family members including wife and children.
Importantly, Durrani has also been asked to produce complete detail of bank accounts held by him.
The bureau has also ordered Durrani’s son Zahid Akram Durrani, MNA from NA-35 (Bannu), to appear before the same officer on Oct 8.
Both father and son are facing similar charges of keeping assets beyond known sources of income and allegedly committing corruption in two housing projects announced by the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation.
Durrani is the convener of the opposition’s Rehbar Committee and he has been issued the notice by the NAB recently after he is actively participating in the meetings with opposition leaders for holding anti-government ‘Azadi March’ to Islamabad as proposed by the JUI-F on October 27.
Durrani had served as the federal minister for housing and works during the last Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government. He was the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal ruled the province after the 2002 elections.
He had lost the National Assembly elections last year from his native Bannu against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman and now Prime Minister Imran Khan, but managed to win the provincial assembly seat.
Later, when Imran Khan vacated the NA seat, his son Zahid Akram Durrani won the elections held in October last year.
