LHC accepts bail plea of ex-PHF president Qasim Zia

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday accepted the bail plea of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former hockey Olympian Qasim Zia.

The court has directed Qasim Zia to submit a surety bond of Rs100,000 against the bail.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested Qasim on August 8 on the charges of being one of the accused in a fraud case of worth Rs100 million.

As per NAB, the accused was arrested on allegations of cheating public at large, misappropriation, and embezzlement of funds and criminal breach of trust.

The accused, along with other directors, fraudulently deprived general public of their hard-earned money. Qasim Zia allegedly sold fraudulent shares of a company which he is one of the directors, NAB added.

NAB claimed that they had received over 80 complaints of cheating and fraud against the former head of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and other officials of the company and they were arrested after verification of those complaints. Qasim Zia was a part of team from 1980 to 1987.

Later, Qasim joined politics and elected as MPA from Punjab on PPP ticket and remained the Opposition leader from 2002 to 2007.

Earlier this week, an accountability court extended his judicial remand till October 5.