ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Shah said on Wednesday that Sindh information minister Sharjeel Memon’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was “shameful”.
“Memon was not charged by NAB. He returned to the country to face the courts but he was arrested in a shameful manner,” Shah said.
He asked why Memon was arrested in the particular way that he was, and whether his arrest was meant as a “message”. Moreover, he complained that people with non-bailable arrest warrants got bails within an hour while Memon was denied bail. He called on the NAB chairman to take notice of the way Memon was arrested.
Shah also said that some institutions discriminated between people on the basis of “Lahore and Larkana”, saying it was essential to stop this way of thinking. He emphasised that despite ups and downs in politics, it was crucial that democracy was upheld.
On Monday, Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected Memon’s bail plea in a corruption case pertaining to the award of advertisements at exorbitant rates through abuse of power. He was sent to jail along with 11 other suspects till November 4 in a Rs 5.7 billion corruption case.
Following the court’s order, Memon remained holed up inside the courtroom for several hours. He was arrested by Rangers and NAB personnel as soon as he exited the court surrounded by his lawyers and supported. As he was leaving the court, resistance was offered by his supporters leading to an exchange of hot words with NAB officials.