PHC restrains NAB from arresting Capt Safdar sans warrants

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday restrained the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from arresting former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar without warrants, ARY News reported.

This restraining order came on a petition filed by Safdar who approached the high court fearing his arrest by the corruption watchdog in a case pertaining to accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income.

The petitioner’s counsel contended before the court that NAB could arrest his client in an inquiry being carried out against him. “NAB summons in one case but arrests in another case,” he said in reference to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif’s arrest inside the NAB Lahore office in the Ashiana Iqbal housing case as he was summoned for questioning in another graft case.

NAB prosecutor Jameel Khan complained that Safdar didn’t show up whenever he was summoned. “You should appear before NAB when you are summoned. Why do you worry,” asked Justice Roohul Amin, a member of the bench.

He directed the PML-N leader to cooperate with NAB in investigation, saying it won’t arrest him.

The court restrained the Bureau from arresting him without warrants  and directed it to issue his warrants at least 10 days before his arrest if it intended to do so.