Sibtain Khan, Punjab’s minister for forestry, wildlife and fisheries, arrested by the NAB

Pakistan’s anti-corruption agency, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), on Saturday got a ten-day physical remand of Sibtain Khan, the Punjab minister for Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, over corruption charges.

NAB prosecutor had requested 15-day physical remand, but the Accountability Court directed the NAB to produce the accused after ten days.

Immediately after his arrest during an inquiry by the NAB on Friday, Sibtain Khan tendered his resignation to Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar.

According to NAB, the minister was taken into custody over charges of corruption and illegal award of contracts.

The corruption case pertains to his tenure in 2007 when Sibtain was the Punjab minister for Mines and Minerals and according to NAB documents he awarded an illegal multi-billion rupee contract to Earth Resource Pvt Ltd for 500 metric tonnes of iron ore in Rajwah and Chiniot.