June 04, 2006	Sunday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 7, 1427

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PESHAWAR, June 3: An accountability court on Saturday issued notices to two guarantors of former federal minister Syed Qasim Shah who did not surrender to the court after his appeal challenging his conviction was dismissed by the Peshawar High Court.

The court, presided over by Attaullah Khan, directed the two guarantors, Syed Tariq Shah and Syed Munir Shah, both residents of Mansehra, to appear before the court on June 21.

The notices were issued under section 514 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Under the law the guarantors are liable to pay a penalty if they fail to surrender the offender for whom they had furnished bonds.

The two guarantors had filed surety bonds undertaking that they would be responsible for the production of Mr Qasim Shah who was granted bail by the high court in 2004 on condition of furnishing two sureties of Rs500,000 each.

Mr Shah was convicted by the court presided over by Attaullah Khan on June 24, 2004, and was sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs36.29 million. The trial court had also disqualified Mr Shah from holding any public office for 10 years.

He was arrested on Sept 29, 2000, by the National Accountability Bureau on charges of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. A few months before his conviction he was released on bail. After his conviction he was again arrested.

However, Mr Shah was again granted bail on medical grounds on July 28, 2004. At present, he has been undergoing medical treatment in the US.