CJP raises various issues in meeting with Sindh CM

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah called on Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar in his chamber at the Supreme Court’s Karachi registry on Saturday morning.

Speaking to media after the meeting, the chief minister said he could not disclose the issues he discussed with the chief justice and added that the meeting took place in a good environment.

He quoted CJP Nisar as saying that public hospitals in Sindh appeared way better than those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The CM said the top judge would accompany him during a visit to the drought-stricken Tharparkar.

Referring to the complaints that the Sindh government departments are not cooperating with FIA in its probe into a money-laundering case, he said it is up to the department concerned to share information.

Details were sought from two departments, including Works and Services and Agriculture, he said and explained since data is not gathered at one place, therefore, it took them 15 to 16 days to provide relevant information to the probe team.

He said he was ready to extend cooperation in any kind of inquiry.

A day earlier, the chief justice summoned the chief minister over complaints about lack of cooperation on part of the Sindh government departments in an investigation into money-laundering of billions of rupees.

Headed by CJP Nisar, a three-judge bench of the apex court was hearing the money-laundering case.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is probing over two dozen people in connection with money-laundering from fictitious accounts, including the one owned by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister.

The chief justice clarified that he was not summoning the Sindh CM but would meet him in his chamber to address complaints that the Sindh government was not cooperating with a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the matter.

Meanwhile, he directed all Sindh government departments to extend full cooperation to the probe team and remarked that the JIT head has full freedom to go wherever he wants in connection with the probe.

The top court had earlier ordered an inquiry into Rs73 billion borrowed by the Omni Group owned by Anwar Majeed, one of close aides of the former president.