NA Speaker Asad Qaisar issues Khawaja Saad Rafique's production order

NA Speaker Asad Qaisar issues Khawaja Saad Rafique's production order

Islamabad (Staff Report): Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser on Thursday issued production order of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique to attend the NA session.

Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique Rafique are in the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) custody in connection to the Paragon Housing Society scam.

The PML-N leaders were arrested by NAB on December 11 after the Lahore High Court (LHC) turned down their plea seeking extension in interim bail.

On December 12, the accountability court granted 10-day physical remand of Pakistan Railways former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique.

The production order of the PML-N leader was issued under Rule 108 of 2007's Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly.

As per the rule, the speaker or the head of a committee can issue production order of a parliamentarian or member of the committee, who is under custody for a non-bailable offence, if his presence is considered necessary.

Following the issuance of the Saad’s production orders, NAB requested an accountability court in Lahore to grant a transit remand so that the PML-N lawmaker can be transferred to Islamabad. The appeal was accepted and the court granted a seven-day transit remand that ends on Dec 26.