KARACHI: A provincial anti-corruption court has exonerated Dr Asim Hussain, former petroleum minister and close aide of President Asif Zardari, from all charges of corruption on the recommendations of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Sindh.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had in 2016 filed a reference against the former petroleum minister and others for their alleged involvement in depriving the state of Rs462.5 billion from 2010 to 2013.

The accused were charged with causing financial losses of Rs450bn through a fertiliser scam, Rs9.5bn through land encroachment / fraud and Rs3bn through money laundering. However, the reference was transferred to the anti-corruption court after tweaks in the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).

The ACE filed an investigation report before Judge Muhammad Aminullah Siddiqui of the special provincial anti-corruption court seeking cancellation of graft charges against Dr Asim and others.

Judge asks ACE Sindh to file report on Rs3bn money laundering allegations in relevant court; NAB transferred graft case to provincial anti-corruption court after accountability law tweaks

The IO filed the report under Section 173 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC) seeking disposal of the case in class C (cancelation).

In the report, the IO submitted that after holding a fresh investigation, the allegations were found within the domain of the provincial anti-graft body and being recommended for cancelation.

The judge in his order said, “Upon appraisal of the material so placed, it prima facie appears that the investigating officer has justifiable concluded that the ingredient of the offences related to corruption, misconduct, or abuse of authority, [which] offences triable exclusively by this court, have not been substantiated during investigation. Consequently, the classification of such allegations as C-class appears to be in consonance with the settled principles governing disposal of the cases where the foundational facts do not support prosecution.”

However, the court accepted the report to the limited extent of those allegations falling within the statutory jurisdiction of the court under the anti-corruption laws.

About allegations of money laundering, the judge noted that this court “has lacked jurisdiction to take cognizance of the same” while the “AML Act was a special law providing for a distinct mechanism, designated forums and exclusive jurisdiction”.

Therefore, the court directed the IO to prepare and submit a separate and independent report under Section 173 of the CrPC before the competent court under the relevant law without any undue delay.

NAB accused Dr Asim and others of getting plots allotted fraudulently and encroaching upon state land for expansion of his hospital, money laundering and commission through fertiliser cartel for illegal curtailment of gas for exploitative price hike.

After amendments to the NAB law, Dr Asim had approached the Sindh High Court seeking transfer of the reference from an accountability court to a court having jurisdiction.

In September 2023, the SHC had ordered an accountability court to return the corruption reference to the NAB chairman so that he could refer the matter to a relevant forum as per law. Thereafter, NAB had transferred the matter to the ACE.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2025