NAB given last chance to forward arguments on Asif's bail plea

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) directed on Wednesday the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor to forward his arguments on a bail plea of PML-N MNA Khawaja Asif in an assets beyond means case.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Aliya Neelum warned that no further adjournment would be granted and instructed the prosecutor to present the relevant record of the case on next hearing on June 21.

The PML-N leader’s lawyer stated before the court that his client has been in jail since January on judicial remand but the corruption watchdog has not yet filed a reference against him.

The prosecutor said that the reference had been forwarded to the NAB chairman for approval and will soon be filed in the accountability court.

Also Read: Court extends Khawaja Asif’s judicial remand in assets case

On June 1, a Lahore High Court (LHC) judge refused to hear the bail petition of Khawaja Asif.

Judge Asjad Javed Ghural, a member of the division bench, recused himself from the case, after which the matter was referred to the LHC chief justice to fix it before another bench for hearing.

Asif through his counsel Barrister Haider Rasul Mirza filed the petition which stated that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested him from Islamabad last year on December 29.

He contended that the corruption watchdog apprehended him despite the fact that he had provided it all the relevant records regarding his assets. Besides, the same record is also available with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).