LHC hears Khawaja brothers’ bail petitions today

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday will resume hearing into bail petitions filed by former minister for Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique.

A two-member bench of the court presided over by Justice Baqir Ali Najfi will continue hearing into petitions seeking bail for Khawaja brothers in Paragon Housing scam case.

Khawaja brothers in their bail pleas have stated that the NAB nominated them in the case without having any concrete evidence against them.

They said they had extended full cooperation to the accountability watchdog during investigation and provided all documents to prove that they had not link to the Paragon City Society.

The applicants said they were being punished by the corruption watchdog on political grounds.

Paragon Housing scam

According to NAB, Khawaja Saad Rafique in collusion with his wife Ghazala Saad Rafique Butt, brother Salman Rafique, Qaiser Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia had launched a housing project named Air Avenue, which was later renamed to Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd.

The accused allegedly connived with Nadeem Zia and Qaiser Amin Butt to defraud several members of the society and misappropriated project funds for personal gains. The accused collected huge amounts in flagrant violation of directions from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA).

Besides, Saad Rafique acquired 40 kanals of land in his and his brother’s name, which he used to extend the project illegally and sold commercial plots worth billions of rupees.