SUKKUR: Veteran Pakistan Peoples Party leader Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah is likely to be released from Sukkur Central Jail on Saturday after his younger son, Syed Zeerak Hussain Shah, on Friday deposited Rs10 million surety bond in the Sukkur Accountability Court as per the Supreme Court order favouring the former’s bail petition.

Khurshid Shah, who is also former leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, has been in police custody for almost two years-and-a-half. He remained under treatment at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Sukkur, for about two years during the period.

The National Accountability Bureau filed a reference against him and 17 other co-accused, including his close family members, in 2019 on charges of accumulating Rs1.24 billion worth assets beyond his known means of income.

Khurshid Shah’s younger son Syed Zeerak Hussain Shah, who submitted the surety bond to the accountability court on Friday, told reporters outside the court that they had completed the required documentation through their counsel and submitted the surety for the bail.

He said that since Friday was half working day, the bail documents had not yet been approved by the Supreme Court. “As soon as legal formalities are finished tomorrow, his father will be released from jail,” he said.

Sukkur NAB had filed the reference in 2019 against 18 accused, including Khurshid Shah, his two wives, two daughters and nephews in the mega corruption case. After about 30 months, he was finally granted bail by the apex court on Thursday.

The moment the media outlets broke the news about approval of bail to Khurshid Shah, PPP leaders and workers took to the streets in Sukkur and Pannu Aqil and began dancing in jubilation, distributing sweets among people and raising full-throttled slogans in favour of Khurshid Shah, Supreme Court and PPP.

Former Sukkur mayor Barrister Arsalan Islam Shaikh, Dr Arshad Mughal, Chaudary Izhar Hasnain, Majeed Malik and others who were also among the jubilating workers expressed pleasure at the release of their senior leader on bail.

Talking to media persons, they said that Khurshid Shah had been arrested on the basis of fabricated charges of corruption but the graft watchdog failed to prove the charges against him during the prolonged trial.

They lauded the Supreme Court’s decision and hoped that other party leaders would also be served justice in the same manner in the references based on bogus charges filed against them by NAB.

“Today, Khurshid Shah’s release amounts to a complete defeat of those who wish to derail democracy and begin political victimisation in Pakistan,” said Arsalan Shaikh, who is adviser to Sindh chief minister on Sukkur affairs.

Meanwhile, MNA Nouman Islam Shaikh announced holding a big programme at Sukkur House to celebrate the release of Khurshid Shah and invited union council chairmen, vice chairmen, councillors and party workers to join in the celebration.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2021