The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted pre-arrest interim bail to former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah in a case pertaining to money laundering through fake accounts.

Shah, who is to appear before NAB today, expressed apprehensions that NAB officials may arrest him upon his appearance before the investigation team, and requested the IHC to grant him pre-arrest bail on the grounds that he is a senior citizen. His petition stated that Shah is 85-years-old and is entitled to pre-arrest bail due to his age.

The former chief minister was named in a report by the joint investigation team tasked to probe the fake accounts case. He was among 172 people named in the report whose names were to be placed on the no-fly list.

The senior politician in his petition contended that he was being politically victimised through the case, and claimed that he had been dragged into the case without any solid evidence.

An IHC division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani granted Shah interim bail against Rs1 million in surety bonds today and directed him to cooperate with the NAB investigation team. His bail will remain effective until April 8.

During preliminary arguments, Shah's counsel told the court that NAB had summoned the ex-CM in connection with an investigation into Thatta Sugar Mills and Dadu Sugar Mills.

The court observed that the instant petition was about NAB's call up notice in the Thatta Sugar Mills inquiry. The counsel replied that he would file another petition for the second NAB notice regarding Dadu Sugar Mills.

Further hearing of the petition was adjourned until April 8.