The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday declared null and void the decision of the Sindh High Court (SHC) in Speaker Sindh Assembly (SA) Agha Siraj Durrani’s assets beyond sources of income case and directed the high court to revisit its decision and give another verdict in two-month time, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

A three-member bench of the SC, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, also directed the high court that the bail it had granted to the accused in the case, including Speaker Durrani, will remain in force till the time it gave another decision.  

During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) special prosecutor general told the court that the SHC, while granting bail to the accused, did not take the facts into account despite the fact that all the details related to Speaker Durrani’s assets beyond sources of income had been brought to its knowledge.

Counsel for Sindh Assembly speaker, on the other hand, told the court that no bureau official ever visited his client’s lands to know the truth.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked that the SHC had given no reason for granting bail to the accused. “Why was the bail granted without any reason,” he said and added it would be better if the case was returned to the high court. 

The apex court, while directing lawyers for the defendants to give their arguments before the SHC, told them that the decision’s details would be released later. 

NAB in its reference had alleged that Agha Siraj Durrani, who is also a Pakistan People’s Party leader, accumulated assets worth Rs1.6 billion along with his family members as co-accused. 

The Sindh High Court had granted bail to him on December 13, 2019.

Reporter Amanat Gishkori