2019: The year of high-profile arrests

It would be safe to say that the year 2019 was like a revolving door. Politicians, mostly from the opposition and one from the ruling party, walked in and out of prison on charges of corruption.

The majority of the lawmakers, and bureaucrats, imprisoned earlier this year, have now been able to secure a bail bond from court. Others still remain behind bars.

Here is a look back at the most high-profile arrests.

1. Asif Ali Zardari

Former president Asif Ali Zardari was cuffed in July by the anti-corruption body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), in connection to a money laundering case.

Zardari is accused of setting up fake bank accounts and siphoning billions of rupees out of the country. The money, insists NAB, was acquired through kickbacks and bribes. However in December, the Pakistan People’s Party leader was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court on medical grounds.

2. Maryam Nawaz

The NAB on August 8 arrested Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz Sharif in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. NAB suspected Maryam of involvement in money laundering. 

It is alleged that she was involved in money laundering with the help of some foreigners during the period of 1992-93 when her father Nawaz Sharif was the prime minister.

Maryam had approached the high court on September 30, seeking post-arrest bail in the sugar mills case. She was granted bail by Lahore High Court (LHC) on November 4. 

While the PML-N leader is embroiled in this legal battle, she is also fighting to get her name off the ECL to take care of her ailing father, who is in London for medical treatment after getting bail in another case.

3. Rana Sanaullah

The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on July 1 arrested senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Rana Sanaullah, claiming that they had recovered a large stash of contraband from him.

Minister for Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi repeatedly claimed to have substantial evidence against Sanaullah. Yet, after almost six months, the prosecution has provided no such evidence to the court. 

On December 22, the anti-narcotics court extended the PML-N leader’s remand by 14 days. However, the LHC on December 24 granted bail to Sanaullah in the narcotics possession case. 

4. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

On July 18, the NAB arrested former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. He was accused of illegally awarding a contract for an LNG terminal while he was serving as the petroleum minister in former PM Nawaz’s cabinet. 

The bureau claimed the former government rented out a terminal of the Engro Group for 15 years at a cost of Rs27 million per day. The government, in April, placed a travel ban on him as well.

Abbasi’s remand was extended on December 16 and he is to remain in NAB’s custody until the next hearing in his case. 

5. Miftah Ismail

Former finance minister Miftah Ismail was arrested on August 7 by the country’s anti-graft body, NAB, after IHC rejected his pre-arrest bail.

Ismail was arrested in connection with an inquiry regarding the illegal awarding of LNG Terminal-1 to Engro Energy Terminal Private Limited. Miftah’s remand was extended on December 16 by 20 days.

However, Ismail’s bail plea was granted by the IHC on December 23. 

6. Faryal Talpur

Member of National Assembly and senior leader of PPP, Faryal Talpur, was arrested on June 14 by NAB.

Talpur along with her brother, former president Asif Ali Zardari, was accused of laundering money through fake bank accounts. NAB is investigating four cases where the former president and his sister are the prime accused. 

The cases pertain to transactions worth hundreds of millions of rupees to both the leaders' private companies, allegedly, through fake bank accounts. The IHC on December 17 granted bail to Talpur in the fake bank accounts cases against surety bonds worth Rs10 million.

7. Liaquat Ali Khan Qaimkhani

On September 20, NAB arrested Liaquat Ali Khan Qaimkhani — a former director general (DG) Parks and Horticulture of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, and advisor to Mayor Karachi.

Qaimkhani is accused of involvement in the Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim scam and awarding fake contracts as DG Parks in the metropolis. The anti-graft body had also accused him of embezzling at least Rs1 billion through fraudulent schemes. 

An accountability court on September 18 extended his judicial remand till January 9, 2020.

8. Hamza Shahbaz

Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shahbaz, was arrested on June 11 by NAB in the Ramzan Sugar Mills money laundering case and for allegedly owning assets beyond his means. 

On September 4, the accountability court sent Hamza to Lahore's Camp Jail on judicial remand after rejecting NAB’s appeal seeking an extension in his remand.

His case hearing could not take place on December 20 due to a strike by lawyers. The hearing has been adjourned till January 3, 2020. Hamza remains in the custody of jail authorities.

9. Khursheed Shah

NAB arrested senior leader of PPP  Khursheed Shah on September 18. He was accused of allotting himself an amnesty plot illegally from a cooperative society in Sukkur. 

He is also accused of acquiring assets worth some Rs700 million in the names of his frontmen through ill-gotten money.

An accountability court on December 17 granted bail to the PPP leader against surety bonds worth Rs5 million. 

The NAB approached the SHC and urged it to nullify Shah's bail as it was "against the law". On December 23, the SHC suspended Shah’s bail in the assets beyond known sources of income case.

10. Aleem Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf stalwart Aleem Khan was arrested on February 6 by NAB. Soon after his arrest, Aleem resigned from the post of Punjab local government minister. 

Cases pertaining to owning assets beyond his known sources of income and offshore companies led to the MPA’s arrest.

On May 15, LHC granted him bail against surety bonds of Rs10 million. He still remains embroiled in a legal battle of a case pertaining to illegal acquisition of CDA land.

11. Agha Siraj Durrani

On February 20, the NAB arrested Sindh Assembly Speaker and PPP leader Agha Siraj Durrani.

He was accused in three cases pertaining to illegal appointments, accumulating assets beyond means and embezzlement of funds. 

After almost a year, on December 12, the SHC granted bail to Durrani and asked him to submit sureties of Rs1 million and his passport to the court. It was also ordered that his name be added to the ECL.

12. Ahsan Iqbal

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal was arrested on December 23 by NAB as he appeared before it in relation to a corruption case.

According to NAB spokesman, the authority arrested the PML-N leader in relation to the Narowal Sports City Complex case.

An accountability court on December 24 granted a 13-day remand of Ahsan in connection with the Narowal Sports City corruption case.

13. Kamran Michael

NAB arrested former federal minister for port and shipping Kamran Michael on February 8, over allegations of illegally allotting three commercial and residential apartment plots at prime locations of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Cooperative Housing Society to his favourite persons after allegedly receiving a huge sum.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) after almost 10 months, granted bail to PML-N stalwart on November 8.

14. Mohsin Dawar 

Law enforcement personnel arrested leader of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and MNA Mohsin Dawar on May 30, days after the Kharqamar clash. 

The May 26 incident resulted in the deaths of 13 persons and left several injured during an exchange of fire and, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), was led by Dawar and MNA Ali Wazir.

On September 19, the Peshawar High Court granted bail to Dawar on the condition of submitting two Rs1 million surety bonds.

15. Ali Wazir

PTM leader and MNA Ali Wazir was arrested on May 26 shortly after the Kharqamar clash. 

He was granted bail along his fellow PTM member, Dawar, on September 19, on the condition of submitting two Rs1 million surety bonds.

16. Khawaja Saad Rafique

NAB on December 11, 2018 arrested PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique in connection to the Paragon Housing Society scam, after the Lahore High Court rejected their bail plea.

The "accused has been and is continuously obtaining illegal/ illegitimate funds/benefits from said project as he obtained 40 kanal plots in his own name and the name of his brother Salman Rafique,” said NAB.

Saad and his brother Salman were presented before a Lahore accountability court on December 23. Their judicial remand was extended by 14 days as their lawyers did not show up.