Paragon Housing scam: Salman Rafique to be produced in court today

F.P. Report

LAHORE: An accountability court will resume hearing of the Paragon Housing Society scam case on Thursday against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique, on Thursday.

According to details, both the brothers are accused of embezzling billions of rupees.

Former federal minister, Saad Rafique will not be appearing for the hearing today as he is in Islamabad. However, his brother will be produced before the court.

Meanwhile, a heavy contingent of police has been deployed around the court to prevent party workers from disrupting law and order situation during his appearance.

In last proceedings on May 2, the court had extended their judicial remand till May 16 in the same case. The Khawaja brothers have been accused of embezzling nearly Rs2 billion.

In all previous hearings, their defense counsel had repeatedly maintained before the court that the details of banking transactions of the last ten years had been handed over to the NAB.

However, NAB’s prosecutor had informed the court that according to records of the Paragon Housing Society an amount of Rs2 billion was transferred to sons of Salman Rafique and Nadeem Zia.

Moreover, the Khawaja brothers are also accused of embezzlement in the scheme by exchanging 50 kanals of their land for 20 two-kanal plots each owned by the Paragon City.

Earlier on April 26, the NAB Lahore approved the filing of a reference against the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia for the alleged corruption in the same case.

On December 11, 2018, they were detained by the accountability watchdog after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected their bail plea.

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 the housing society’s fraud.