An accountability court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in illegal land allotment case, ARY News reported.
Sharif is facing accusations of illegal allotment of land as the then Punjab CM to Mir Shakil ur Rehman.
Mir Shakil Ur Rehman was present at the hearing
The hearing was presided over by AC Judge Asad Ali, in which editor-in-chief of Jang Group of Newspapers and owner of Geo News Mir Shakil ur Rahman was produced before the court.
Accountability Court Judge Asad Ali conducted the case proceedings, wherein former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Humayun Faiz and former LDA Director Land Development Mian Bashir Ahmed appeared on being summoned by the court.
To which, National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Special Prosecutor Haris Qureshi told the court that the accused were not being produced in the courts due to COVID-19.
The court also noted that the process server had submitted its report and it was stated that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was not available on the given address and he had gone to London.
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NAB Special Prosecutor requested the court for issuing bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif.
Subsequently, the court issued bailable arrest warrants for Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and extended the judicial remand of Mir Shakil while adjourning the hearing till August 20.
On last hearing, the court had issued notices to Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and LDA officials for appearing before it, after filing of reference by the Bureau.
https://twitter.com/ravapk/status/1270997673710104576
The NAB had filed a reference against Mir Shakil and others. Besides Mir Shakil, Nawaz Sharif, former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Humayun Faiz, former Director Land Development Mian Bashir Ahmed had been named as the accused in Rs 143.5 million references.
The NAB had alleged that Mir Shakil obtained illegal exemption of 54 plots of one-kanal each in Johar Town Lahore, with the connivance of Nawaz Sharif, the then chief minister of Punjab, in violation of the exemption policy in 1986.
The police after being asked by the court about non-appearance of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said that he is currently in London and the summon notice has been sent to his residence.
Due to continued non-appearance before the court, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor demanded the court to issue non-bailable warrants for the erstwhile prime minister.
Non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif
Maintaining the NAB’ request, the court released non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif and directed the Pakistani Embassy in the United Kingdom to act on it.
NAB had been conducting an inquiry against him in the fraudulent activity. His arrest came after he failed to submit a satisfactory reply to the bureau’s questions, said NAB.
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He was accused of acquiring exemption on 54 plots in Johar Town, Lahore in 1986 during former then Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif’s term.
Meanwhile, the court also extended the judicial remand of Mir Shakil ur Rahman till September 17. On March 12, the National Accountability Bureau had apprehended Mir Shakil ur Rahman in a case pertaining to the illegal exemption of 54 plots in Lahore.
GVS News Desk