Accountability court approves transit remand of Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad has approved one-day transit remand of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Muhammad Asif in assets beyond income case, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The officials of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) have produced PML-N’s central leader Khawaja Asif before the accountability court. Judge Muhammad Bashir conducted the hearing.

The anti-corruption watchdog sought transit remand of the politician which was approved by the court besides directing to produce him before the concerned court tomorrow. The judge directed concerned authorities to transfer the accused to Lahore today or tomorrow.

Read: Release Asif or regret consequences, Maryam Nawaz threatens govt

During the hearing, Asif’s counsel opposed the NAB’s plea seeking his transit remand and demanded the accountability court to order the immediate release of his client. However, the court rejected the plea of Asif’s counsel.

Later, NAB Lahore’s team took away Khawaja Asif from the courtroom. He will be produced before an accountability court in Lahore on Thursday (tomorrow) where the prosecution will seek physical remand of the accused.

Before appearing before the court, the PML-N lawmaker interacted with journalists and claimed that NAB has not yet initiated interrogation from him. Asif said that he was given a charge sheet by the anti-graft watchdog for possessing assets beyond income.

He alleged that the government is attempting to weaken the stance of Nawaz Sharif and trying to split the political party into different factions.

Yesterday, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Muhammad Asif had been arrested Tuesday by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials for allegedly having inordinate wealth compared to the sources of income.

Asif was reportedly present at another PML-N lawmaker Ahsan Iqbal’s residence for a huddle that was scheduled shortly following Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) session.

Read: NAB summons PML-N leader Khawaja Asif in Iqama case

The accountability watchdog had claimed that Asif could not furnish a satisfactory response on his possession of assets amounting to Rs260 million.

Asif had been arrested as soon as he left Iqbal’s place following a party leadership huddle which was attended by Maryam Nawaz Sharif as well, sources told ARY sources.

Khawaja Asif had been kept at NAB Rawalpindi’s office after he underwent a medical examination.

NAB officials had confirmed that the arrest was sanctioned by Chairman NAB Justice retd Javed Iqbal himself after he could not convince the three-member committee of NAB investigation on how he made assets that do not conform to his means of earning.