Accountability court grants 10-day physical remand of Khawaja Saad, Salman

Accountability court grants 10-day physical remand of Khawaja Saad, Salman

Lahore (Staff Report): An accountability court on Wednesday granted 10-day physical remand of Pakistan Railways former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique.

The NAB officials presented Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique in the accountability court and requested for their 15-day physical remand.

The court earlier reserved its decision but later rejected NAB’s plea and granted it 10-day physical remand of the PML-N leaders.

On Tuesday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Saad and his sibling after the Lahore High Court (LHC) turned down their plea seeking extension in interim bail.

Last week, the LHC extended the interim bail of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders till December 11.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Tariq Abbasi heard the pre-arrest bail petition of Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique.

Khawaja brothers maintained the stance in the petition that they were not involved in any form of corruption.

The petitioners added that they fully cooperated with NAB in the investigation and requested that their pre-arrest bail should be approved.

The bench asked Khawaja brothers did they submit a petition for the DG NAB to be changed? The NAB prosecutor informed the court that the NAB chairman heard both the petitioners and a decision will be taken in this regard within the next two days.

The court directed the NAB prosecutor to make their arrest warrants a part of the record.

The LHC bench then extended Saad and Salman’s bail till December 11 and barred the NAB from arresting them.

According to NAB officials, three inquiries are underway against Saad Rafique pertaining to the Ashiana Iqbal Housing Scheme, Paragon Housing scam and corruption in Pakistan Railways.