LHC extends bail of Saad Rafique, brother till Dec 13

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday extended an interim bail granted to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique until Dec 13.

The PML-N leader’s lawyer informed the bench seized with the hearing of the bail petitions that his client doesn’t have trust in the director general of the NAB Lahore who he said has been continuously issuing statements against the PML-N.

He requested the court to direct NAB to provide a copy of its chairman’s order with regard to a probe against his client. At this, the bench asked him to approach the NAB chairperson’s office for the purpose.

The counsel pleaded that he  be given a copy of the order in question and three days’ time to submit a reply to it.

The bench, however, adjourned the case until Dec 13 and asked him to forward his argument on the matter on next hearing.

NAB has launched an investigation into the alleged Paragon Housing Society fraud after protests by dozens of its victims.

Former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Cheema and others are in custody over allegations of corruption against them in Ashiana Iqbal Housing Society scam.

Shehbaz Sharif has been accused of ordering cancellation of contract of Ashiana-e-Iqbal to a successful bidder, leading to the award of the contract to his favourite builder, which resulted in a loss of Rs 193 million approximately.