| Citation(s) |
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| 2026 SLG 2135 2026 SLD 2135 = 2026 SHC 834 |
Sindh High Court
Criminal Accountability Appeal No.1 of 2003/Criminal Accountability Appeal No.2 of 2003/Criminal Revision Application No.22 of 2003
Presented By: Mr. Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro Mr. Justice Syed Fiaz ul Hasan Shah
APPELLANT in Appeal No.1/2003 : Qurban Ali Jatoi s/o Karim Bux Jatoi Through Syed Mehmood Alam Rizvi, Advocate. APPELLANTS in Appeal No.2/2003 : Mushtaq Ali Jatoi s/o Qurban Ali Jatoi, Mst.Badshahzadi w/o Mushtaq Ali Jatoi, Zahid Ali Jatoi s/o Qurban Ali Jatoi, Karim Bux Jatoi s/o Qurban Ali Jatoi & Moula Bux Jatoi s/o Qurban Ali Jatoi Through Mr. Raj Ali Wahid Kunwar, Advocate. APPLICANTS in Crl. Rev. Appln. No.22/2003 : Hisamuddin s/o Moulvi Shahabuddin Naseer Ahmed s/o Rasool Bux Sheikh & Ali Mohammad s/o Late Wattar Khan Jatoi Through Mr. Abdul Majeed Khoso, Advocate. RESPONDENT / THE STATE : National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Through Syed Khurram Kamal, Special Prosecutor. Dates of Hearing : 15.01.2026, 29.01.2026, 10.02.2026 & 11.02.2026 Date of Short Order : 11.02.2026
Criminal Accountability Appeal No.1 of 2003/Criminal Accountability Appeal No.2 of 2003/Criminal Revision Application No.22 of 2003
Presented By: Mr. Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro Mr. Justice Syed Fiaz ul Hasan Shah
APPELLANT in Appeal No.1/2003 : Qurban Ali Jatoi s/o Karim Bux Jatoi Through Syed Mehmood Alam Rizvi, Advocate. APPELLANTS in Appeal No.2/2003 : Mushtaq Ali Jatoi s/o Qurban Ali Jatoi, Mst.Badshahzadi w/o Mushtaq Ali Jatoi, Zahid Ali Jatoi s/o Qurban Ali Jatoi, Karim Bux Jatoi s/o Qurban Ali Jatoi & Moula Bux Jatoi s/o Qurban Ali Jatoi Through Mr. Raj Ali Wahid Kunwar, Advocate. APPLICANTS in Crl. Rev. Appln. No.22/2003 : Hisamuddin s/o Moulvi Shahabuddin Naseer Ahmed s/o Rasool Bux Sheikh & Ali Mohammad s/o Late Wattar Khan Jatoi Through Mr. Abdul Majeed Khoso, Advocate. RESPONDENT / THE STATE : National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Through Syed Khurram Kamal, Special Prosecutor. Dates of Hearing : 15.01.2026, 29.01.2026, 10.02.2026 & 11.02.2026 Date of Short Order : 11.02.2026
Qurban Ali Jatoi S/o Karim Bakhsh Jatoi
VERSUS
The STATE/ Mushtaq Ali Jatoi and 4 others Versus The STATE and another/Hisamuddin and 2 others Versus The STATE and another
Law: National Accountability Ordinance, 1999
Section: 9(a)(v)
Law: Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898
Section: 265-C, 342, 340(2)
Law: Qanoon-e-Shahadat Order, 1984
Section: 117, 122, 118
IN THE HIGH COURT OF SINDH AT KARACHI PRESENT: 📌 Case Summary This case concerns Criminal Accountability Appeals and Revision Application challenging conviction under NAB laws for accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income. The accused, a public servant, was found to have acquired multiple properties in the names of his sons and dependents. The prosecution proved a disproportionate assets case, and the defence failed to provide a satisfactory money trail or lawful source of income. The Court held that once the prosecution establishes a prima facie disproportion between income and assets, a rebuttable presumption arises, shifting the burden on the accused to explain lawful acquisition. Since the appellants largely failed to rebut this presumption, most confiscations were upheld, though a few properties were excluded where independent ownership or lawful financing was proven (e.g., bank loans, municipal land, or ancestral property). The conviction was largely maintained with minor modifications, and the appeals were dismissed. âš–ï¸ Sections / Legal Provisions Used Section 9(a)(v) — National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 (NAO) Section 265-C — CrPC (supply of documents/charge stage rights) Section 342 — CrPC (statement of accused) Section 340(2) — CrPC (examination of accused on oath) Constitution / Evidence Principles applied: Article 117 — Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 (burden of proof in special knowledge cases) Article 122 — QSO (burden on person with special knowledge) Article 118 — QSO (presumption and rebuttal principles) 🧾 2 × Two-Word Case Descriptions Assets Forfeiture Burden Shift J U D G M E N T Through the instant Crl. Accountability Appeals No.1 and 2 of 2003 and Cr. Revision Application No.22 of 2023, the Appellants have challenged the Judgment dated 11.01.2003 (“Impugned Judgment”) passed by the learned Judge, Accountability Court No.V, Sindh at Karachi (“Trial Court”) in NAB Reference No.2 of 2001 filed by the National Accountability Bureau (“NAB”), wherein the Appellant Qurban Ali Jatoi son of Karim Bux…