Paragon Housing case: Khawaja Saad, Salman Rafique to be indicted on August 8

Paragon Housing case: Khawaja Saad, Salman Rafique to be indicted on August 8

Lahore (Staff Report): An accountability court on Tuesday fixed August 8 as the date to indict Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique in Paragon Housing Society scam case.

Accountability Court Judge Syed Jawadul Hassan presided over the hearing of the reference filed by National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) against former railways minister and his brother.

The NAB officials produced Khawaja Saad Rafique and Salman Rafique before the court.

During proceedings, the PML-N lawmakers were provided with copies of the reference against them.

The NAB prosecutor also submitted a report about co-accused, including Nadeem Zia, Umar Zia and Farhan Ali.

He stated that the process had been started for declaring them absconders in accordance with the court directions after they failed to appear despite being summoned.

The hearing was adjourned till August 8 when the court will indict Khawaja brothers.

On December 11, 2018, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Pakistan Railways former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique after the Lahore High Court (LHC) turned down their plea seeking extension in interim bail in a case regarding Paragon Housing Society scandal.

NAB Lahore had issued a press release after the arrest stating that “accused Saad Rafique along with his benamidaar wife Ghazala Saad Rafique, brother Salman Rafique in association with Qaiser Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia established a housing project in the name of Air Avenue which was converted into a new housing project namely M/S Paragon City Pvt Limited. Record shows that M/S Paragon City is an illegal society.”

“Accused has been and is continuously obtaining illegal/ illegitimate funds/ benefits from said project as he obtained 40 kanal plots in his own name and the name of his brother Salman Rafique,” the bureau said.