KARACHI: An accountability court on Wednesday reissued non-bailable warrant for the arrest of absconding builder Zain Malik through the Pakistani authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) in a case pertaining to alleged illegal amalgamation of commercial land for a multistorey building of Bahria Town in Karachi.

Former Karachi mayor and Pak Sarzameen Party chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal; Zain Malik, son-in-law of real estate tycoon Malik Riaz; former Karachi district coordination officer Fazlur Rehman; former executive district officer Iftikhar Kaimkhani and others are facing trial in the case.

On Wednesday, the matter came up before Accountability Court-III judge Dr Sher Bano Karim when Mustafa Kamal and other suspects appeared before the court on bail while Fazlur Rehman was produced from the District Jail Malir.

The investigating officer of the case, Abdul Fateh, filed a compliance report regarding execution of non-bailable warrant issued by the court on the last date for the arrest of Zain Malik, who is allegedly absconding in the case.

The report filed through special public prosecutor Shahbaz Sahotra stated that the non-bailable arrest warrant issued by the court for suspect Malik had been sent to the International Coordination Wing (ICW) of the National Accountability Bureau’s Headquarters in Islamabad.

It further stated that the ICW had approached the authorities concerned at the Pakistan High Commission in the UK to contact Mr Malik and execute the arrest warrant on him and send a compliance report in this regard to NAB headquarters.

However, the prosecutor said, a response was yet to be received from the ICW authorities and requested for more time to enable them to execute the warrant.

The judge allowed more time till Nov 4 and reissued non-bailable warrant for Mr Malik.

Warrant reissued in foreigner’s $121.6m graft case

An accountability court on Wednesday repeated a non-bailable warrant for the arrest of a foreigner in a case involving alleged corruption of $121.6 million in Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL) through acquisition of assets of a UK-based oil and gas exploration company.

NAB had filed a reference nominating former managing director/chief executive officer of PPL Asim Murtaza Khan, general manager Abdul Wahid, deputy MD Moin Raza Khan, chief economist Rahat Hussain, financial adviser Khaqan Saadullah and Pavel Marek as suspects.

On Wednesday the matter came up before Accountability Court-IV judge Suresh Kumar when IO Abdul Fateh submitted a compliance report regarding execution of non-bailable warrant issued by the court on the last date for arrest of Mr Marek, director/owner of M/s Moravske Naftove Doly (MND) and a Czech national.

The IO mentioned that the warrant could not be served on the suspect and requested for more time to do so.

Allowing the request, the judge granted time till Nov 7. The judge told the IO to ensure arrest of the suspect and ensure his presence before the court on the next hearing.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2020