An accountability court on Monday extended the remand of former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain, who is under the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) custody for his alleged corruption, for 10 more days.
Dr Hussain, the incumbent Sindh Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman, was presented by NAB officials before the accountability court under tight security.
Besides corruption charges, the PPP leader is also being tried under the Anti-Terrorist Act on a complaint filed by the paramilitary Rangers in November 2015 accusing Hussain of providing shelter to target killers and terrorists at his hospital, Dr Ziauddin Hospital.
The NAB is reportedly in the process to file another reference against Dr Hussain for his alleged role in the 2008 stock market crash in collusion with the then finance minister. At the time, investors had reportedly lost billions of rupees as shares’ value had fallen drastically.
Although Hussain has been handed a clean chit by the Sindh Police on terrorism charges, the Rangers is determined to try him for assisting criminals and killers.
Meanwhile, the Jinnah Hospital issued a report of Dr Hussain’s MRI test, declaring him physically fit. The test was conducted earlier after he complained about pain in the back.