LAHORE – An accountability court in Punjab’s capital on Monday acquitted Jang Geo Media Group editor-in-chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman in a 34-year-old land acquiring case.
Accountability court Judge Asad Ali also declared all suspects named in the case innocent, remarking that no charges were proved against them.
In the 20-page verdict, the court has directed authorities concerned to release all seized properties owned by Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
“No evidence could be produced on record to show that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had facilitated in the crime. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and co-accused Humayon Faiz and Mian Bashir are acquitted of the charge,” the judgment said.
It said that cheating allegations against co-accused Humayon Faiz and Bashir Ahmed have not been proved. “Sending summary to DG LDA cannot be considered as not evidence of cheating against Humayon Faiz and Bashir Ahmed,” read the judgement.
During the previous hearing, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s counsel, Amjad Perviz, had filed a plea with the court under Section 265-k seeking his client’s acquittal.
He pleaded with the court to declare his client innocent as there was nothing in the evidence presented against him.
In November 2020, the Supreme Court granted bail to Mir Shakil ur Rehman in the property case.
The National Accountability Bureau NAB arrested the Jang owner on March 12, 2020 in connection with the alleged illegal exemption of 54 plots in H-block of Lahore’s Jauhar Town phase-II allotted to him being the holder of a general power of attorney on behalf of Hidayat Ali and Hikmat Ali by the then Punjab chief minister Nawaz Sharif in violation of the relevant rules.
Rehman’s counsel also mentioned that NAB Chairman Javed retired Justice Javed Iqbal had not issued arrest warrants for director land department and DG LDA.
The top court accepted the petition, asking Shakil to submit surety bonds worth Rs100 million.
The Lahore High Court had earlier denied bail to Rehman, after which they appealed the verdict in the higher court.
APNS expresses concern over long detention of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman
