Court extends judicial remand of PML-N lawmaker Khawaja Asif

LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore has extended the judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Asif in assets beyond income case, ARY News reported on Friday.

Judge Jawadul Hassan conducted the hearing of assets beyond income case against PML-N central leader Khawaja Asif today. The lawmaker did not appear in the hearing.

During the hearing, the jail officials presented the medical report of the accused lawmaker which stated that Asif was admitted to Jinnah Hospital for hernia operation.

Read: Khawaja Asif shifted to Lahore hospital for eye check-up

The judge remarked that platelets of the patient dropped within a minute here. He added that each accused would give an excuse for not appearing in the courtroom.

Khawaja Asif’s counsel told the court that his client will be discharged from the hospital after undergoing operation within 10-15 days.

The court asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor whether the judicial remand could be extended in the absence of the accused. The prosecutor said that it could be extended in an untoward situation.

Read: NAB submits report on Khawaja Asif’s shares in firms, banks to court

Later, the court extended the judicial remand of Asif for 14 days and adjourned the hearing till March 26.

Moreover, the court summoned a detailed report on the reference from the investigation officer (IO) of the anti-corruption watchdog.

Assets case

The anti-graft watchdog accused that a bank peon in Lahore had submitted over Rs28 million to the bank account of Khawaja Asif following the orders of senior officers.

It stated that the nephew of Khawaja Asif, Khawaja Sultan, had submitted Rs20 million to his bank account after being told by his paternal uncle.

Read: Khawaja Asif transferred Rs120 million to Kashmala Tariq

A senior political worker Rana Abdul Waheed had submitted Rs30 million to Asif’s account and told the NAB that the money was given to him by Asif.

Another political activist Sarmad Ijaz had withdrawn Rs5 million from Asif’s bank account and handed him over the money.

The documents stated that Asif had failed to respond to the NAB’s query regarding the money from where it was earned.