SHC extends Babar Ghauri’s protective bail by 9 days

• SHC extends protective bail by nine days
• ATC grants 7 days remand in corruption reference
• Babar Ghauri was arrested upon arrival at Karachi airport

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday extended protective bail in a corruption reference for Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) senior leader Babar Ghauri by nine days.

Babar’s Ghauri was arrested by the security agencies at Karachi airport upon his arrival on Monday evening after a seven-year self-imposed exile. Minutes after landing, he was taken into custody and shifted him to a police station in Malir.

His counsel moved the court after Babar Ghauri was taken to an undisclosed location. During the court hearing, the lawyer argued that his client had already secured pre-arrest bail in the corruption reference case but was still arrested.

The high court extended the protective bail by nine days and asked him to approach the trial court. The court also barred NAB and FIA from arresting the former minister. It also sought details over the secret locations where Babar Ghauri was taken by police officers.

SHC had granted two-week protective bail to him in a corruption reference and a money-laundering and terror-financing case ahead of his return. The MQM leader who had been living in United States returned without announcing his plans.

Meanwhile, Babar Ghauri was presented before the anti-terrorism court in Karachi. The court approved seven-day physical remand of the arrested MQM leader.

Talking about the case, Babar Ghauri said that he had secured bail before his return. He claimed that he was unaware of this case and had not received any notice.

Ghauri was booked by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in 2017 in a money laundering and terror financing case. Police have also registered cases in Karachi’s Districts Central and West.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also filed a reference in an accountability court in 2018 for illegal appointment of 940  Karachi Port Trust (KPT) employees, causing a loss of Rs2.8 billion to the national exchequer.

In October 2019, the court declared Babar Ghauri a proclaimed offender after the investigation officer submitted a report stating that there was no likelihood of arresting the former minister.

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