F.P. Report
LAHORE: An accountability court has extended the physical remands of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother, Salman Rafique, for 14 days in Paragon Housing Society scam, on Saturday.
Earlier, NAB officials presented the Khawaja brothers before the court to seek an extension in their physical remand.
As the hearing underway, the judge asked the NAB investigation officer regarding how many people he had issued notices to. He responded that NAB have summoned 32 individuals to probe the accounts.
The judge further inquired, “Does Saad Rafique have any role in the Paragon Housing Society scam?” Responding to the question, the investigation officer said, “We will present the evidence of the Rafique brothers’ involvement.”
The NAB prosecutor then requested the court for an extension in the physical remand of the Rafique brothers, however, the counsel of the PML-N leader and his brother raised objections to this. The court reserved its decision at first but later approved NAB’s request and extended their physical remand by 14 days.
Ordering that Saad and Salman be presented before court on January 19, the court adjourned the hearing of the case.
Earlier on December 11, NAB arrested the Rafique brothers after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected their request for an extension in their pre-arrest bail in the case pertaining to the housing society scam.
Following their arrests, NAB Lahore issued a press release and stated that “accused Saad Rafique along with his benamidaar wife Ghazala Saad Rafique, brother Salman Rafique in association with Qaiser Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia established a housing project in the name of Air Avenue which was converted into a new housing project namely M/S Paragon City Pvt Limited. Record shows that M/S Paragon City is an illegal society.
LAHORE: Leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Khawaja Saad Rafique, and his brother Salman Rafique, are expected to be produced before the accountability court in Lahore on Saturday (today) in Paragon Housing Society scam case.
According to details, the Khawaja brothers are being investigated by the NAB under physical remand.
Meanwhile, a heavy contingent of police has been deployed around the court to prevent the party workers from disrupting law and order situation.
Last month on December 11, Khawaja brothers were arrested by the accountability watchdog after the Lahore High Court rejected their bail petition.
The NAB had launched an investigation into the alleged scam in November last year after a number of victims staged protests and held a press conference at the Lahore Press Club against what they termed housing society’s fraud.
Recent political scenario and detention of many political leaders in the country has pushed opposition parties closer, and in this regard, Rafique has hinted that his party may join ranks with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) by saying that they would not topple the government but become a strong opposition for “legislative purposes”.
Moreover, he disclosed that his party had made a mistake in its tenure by “not modifying NAB laws”, and said they need to be changed.
