Saad Rafique seeks accountability court to shift him to Islamabad

LAHORE: Former railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique on Monday petitioned an accountability court here for his shifting to Islamabad, ARY News reported.

PML-N stalwart Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique facing charges in Paragon Housing scam were produced before the accountability court in Lahore today.

The court also granted permission to Khawaja Saad Rafique to attend the National Assembly session.

Rafique in his petition informed the court about a fire incident at his jail barrack in which he sustained injury after his head hit an iron rod during the fire. He requested to the court to declare a premises in Islamabad as sub jail to shift him over there adding that he could not travel eight hours to attend a session of the assembly.

The court during the hearing also warned Qaisar Ameen Butt, an approver in the case, over his failure to appear before the court in the case hearing today.

The judge also expressed his resentment over late appearance of the NAB investigation officer in the case.

The approver statement of Qaisar Ameen Butt, was opened in the case hearing today.

Learned judge ordered the prosecution to submit a copy of the approver’s statement to the defence counsel.

Paragon Housing scam

The Khawaja brothers, Nadeem Zia, Umar Zia, and Farhan Ali were named accused in the reference comprising of 17 volumes.

According to the reference, the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia owned 93.2 per cent shares in the Paragon Housing Society.

It states that the former railway minister Khawaja Saad Rafique received monetary benefits to the tune of Rs58 million from the society whereas his brother Rs39 million.

A total of 122 people recorded their statements against former railways minister and Brother, it added