NAB will have to put in a lot of effort for cancellation of Shehbaz, Fawad bails: SC
- By Web Desk -
- May 02, 2019
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit a summary outlining charges against Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and former principal secretary to the PM Fawad Hassan Fawad.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, was hearing the bureau’s appeals questioning the bail granted to Shehbaz in the Ashiana housing society scam and Ramzan Sugar Mills case while Fawad Hassan Fawad’s bail in the Ashiana housing society scam.
NAB lawyer Naeem Bukhari appeared before the bench as the hearing got underway.
“Bukhari Sahib, you will have to put in great effort for cancellation of bails,” Justice Saeed remarked, while pointing to the lawyer.
He said the apex court has to hear arguments of the NAB counsel and investigation officer in the case.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan, a member of the bench, directed the counsel to furnish a chart and summary showing charges against Shehbaz and Fawad.
The hearing was adjourned for May 15.
In the previous hearing, Bukhari had contended before the court that the Lahore High Court (LHC) granted bail to the accused in violation of the principles laid down by the top court.
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He said the high court erred in taking the true facts into consideration and alleged Shehbaz was the mastermind of the Ashiana scandal.
The anti-corruption watchdog had approached the apex court challenging the bail granted to Shehbaz in the Ashiana housing society scam and Ramzan Sugar Mills’ cases, while Fawad Hassan Fawad’s bail in the Ashiana housing society scam.
The NAB petitions stated that the Lahore High Court (LHC) has not reviewed the facts and regulations in the Ashiana Iqbal housing scam case into right aspects.
The top court had already defined standard for the provision of bail in NAB cases, adding that the high court’s verdict went contrary with the outlined standards set up by the judiciary.
Shehbaz Sharif and Fawad Hassan Fawad are key accused in the case. Bail to the persons must be suspended after nullifying the LHC’s verdict, the petition pleaded to the court.
On February 14, the Lahore High Court had approved the bail plea of Shehbaz Sharif, ordering his release.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice Malik Shahzad and Justice Mirza Waqas had given the verdict while hearing the bail petitions.