Jailed senior parliamentarian Khursheed Shah on Thursday remarked that the coronavirus had been spreading in those parts of the world too where no rallies were held, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The PPP leader, who was talking to media persons outside an accountability court in Sukkur, said Prime Minister Imran Khan himself held four public meetings but the opposition was being stopped from organising rallies.

One should see whether the NAB law meant for vindictiveness or reformation, said Khursheed who has been in prison on the charges of accumulating assets beyond his known sources of income – an allegation that he denies vehemently.

“I am kept in prison for over 14 months. Why there is a delay in my trial,” the PPP leader asked. “The world must come to know what my sin is and what crime I have committed.”

Explaining his point, Khursheed said he wanted an open trial in presence of media for the purpose. 

His fight was against those associated with “qabza mafia”, he said, adding that he had been fighting for truth and would continue doing so.

Khursheed, however, expressed his confidence in the higher judiciary which, he said, would provide justice to him.

Meanwhile, the accountability court in Sukkur adjourned the hearing of reference against Khursheed till November 30.

Supreme Court hearing

And in Islamabad, a three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam adjourned for two weeks the hearing of bail plea filed by Khursheed and his son.

The court observed that the application would be heard along with the other cases filed against his family members and also issued notices to the 16 co-accused after the NAB sought cancellation of their bails before arrest.

During the hearing, Raza Rabbani – the noted politician and legal expert – presented his arguments on behalf of Khursheed and said the accountability court had accepted his client’s bail plea on 17 December but later went on leave without signing the bonds without citing any reason.

According to Rabbani, cases were filed on the similar land-related charges in 2001 and later withdrawn in 2012 over lack of evidence but reconstituted again with same accusations.

Moreover, Khursheed has listed all the properties in his assets declaration along with tax returns and bank accounts.