LAHORE – The accountability court in Lahore granted 14-day physical remand of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Ashiana Housing Scheme case.
The verdict was announced on Saturday after the court reserved its verdict on a plea filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) which sought to extend the remand by 15-days.
Shebaz Sharif would now be presented on November 24th as per the court orders.
The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly turned up before the court in Ashiana Iqbal Housing scheme case after his transit remand expired following which the anti-graft body presented the politician before the NAB court to seek extension in remand.
At the onset of the hearing, the NAB official alleged that Shehbaz Sharif threatened him adding that the ongoing case was fully substantiated with evidence.
On the other hand, Amjad Pervaiz, the counsel for Shehbaz Sharif, argued that NAB summoned Shehbaz Sharif for the first time in June 2018 and whenever his client was summoned, he complied with the directives.
‘NAB failed to present credible evidence in Ashiana Iqbal housing scheme,’ Amjad Pervaiz argued adding that the Director General of NAB had become a party to the case against Shehbaz Sharif.
During the hearing, there was a verbal duel between Shehbaz Sharif and NAB official as well with Shehbaz Sharif inquiring the official as to why he was staring at him.
Meanwhile as the proceedings continued, NAB also registered the arrest of Shehbaz Sharif in the Ramazan Sugar Mills case.
Strict security arrangements have been put in place with troops of Rangers, Anti-riot force and police deployed in the vicinity of accountability court tucked near civil secretariat.
The younger Sharif was taken to Lahore from Islamabad early Saturday. Hamza Shehbaz and scores of PML-N loyalists also assembled in the vicinity of the court.
The politician was residing in Islamabad on production orders issued by National Assembly Speaker, Asad Qaiser.
In his speech made on the floor of the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif refuted allegations of corruptions and declared that there was an unholy alliance between ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
On Oct 5, the NAB arrested Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) president and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly in the Rs14 billion Ashiayna-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme case.
He was detained by the anti-graft body at the accountability body’s Lahore office following a hearing in Punjab Saaf Pani Company.
The arrest of former Punjab chief minister followed shocking revelations of ex-principal secretary to PM, Fawad Hasan Fawad, who has become an approver in the cases against Shehbaz Sharif.
Petitions have been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking the bail of Shehbaz Sharif.
