ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah, who was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) allegedly for owning assets beyond means, was shifted from Islamabad to Sukkur on Friday.

According to sources, the PPP leader was brought to the airport by a NAB team amid tight security and flown to Sukkur by a Pakistan International Airlines flight (PK-631) at 7am. Mr Shah will be produced before a court in Sukkur.

The accountability court of Islamabad had on Thursday approved his transitory remand and directed NAB to produce him before the relevant court by Sept 21.

Earlier, the PPP leader was shifted to the Federal Government Services Hospital, also known as Polyclinic, after he complained of some health issues. He was discharged from the hospital in the evening and driven to the airport.

Talking to reporters at the hospital, Mr Shah rejected the NAB claim that he was involved in Rs500 billion corruption and said that he was ready to hand over all of his wealth to the bureau if even one per cent of this amount was proved to have been given to him illegally.

Mr Shah was arrested by a joint team of NAB’s Rawalpindi and Sukkur offices on Wednesday allegedly for owning assets beyond means.

The PPP leader dismissed corruption allegations against him and said he had fought against corruption throughout his life.

Mr Shah, who served as the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly during the term of the previous government, claimed that he had declared his assets before the Election Commission of Pakistan and there was nothing in his name or in the name of his dependents.

During the medical examination at the hospital, it was observed that Mr Shah’s sugar level was high and that he was facing some respiratory issues. His blood pressure was said to be normal, but his heartbeat was more than normal.

Meanwhile, PPP general secretary Nayyar Hussain Bukhari met Khursheed Shah at the hospital.

Talking to reporters there, Mr Bukhari said that questions were being raised on NAB’s performance as some leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had informed people about NAB action against Mr Shah a day before his arrest.

He said that opposition leaders were being arrested at the inquiry level, while no leader of the ruling alliance was being arrested even after the filing of references against them in courts.

“NAB is again being used as a tool for humiliating politicians and their arm-twisting,” Mr Bukhari added.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2019