An accountability court Monday extended physical remand of opposition leader in national assembly Shahbaz Sharif for next ten days including three-day transit remand in Ashiyana Housing Scheme scam. The NAB officials however demanded 15-day physical remand but court directed the NAB to produce Shahbaz Sharif again on November 07.
Shahbaz Sharif was produced before the court in strict security and media persons and PM-N workers were barred from entering the court premises. Heavy police contingents and personnel of Rangers were deployed in and outside the court premises. The roads leading to the courts were blocked with containers and barbed wires.
Shahbaz Sharif contended before the court that the NAB arrested him on October 5 as he was called by the NAB in Saaf Pani Company case and arrested in Ashiyana Housing Scheme case. He spent 25 days in the NAB's custody and the investigators used to ask me about Ashiyana Housing Scheme, Punjab Saaf Pani and Laptop and others. Shahbaz said, "I am cancer patient and I got operated in the US during my exile. He said regular medical checkup was his need. Such restrictions were not put on the people even during the periods of martial law.
"I wasn't allowed to see my family while Indian agent was allowed to see his family," said Shahbaz Sharif. NAB prosecutor submitted the investigation report done so far in the case and furnished a feasibility report that had strengthened its case. The prosecutor said the project was of Rs 23 billion while the feasibility report claimed that it was of Rs 14 billion. The court asked the NAB prosecutor about the matter of Rs 23 billion and Rs 14 billion on which he replied that it was the cost of the land which was bought for Ashiyana Housing scheme. He said this cost came on the record when they investigated Ahad Khan Cheema, former LDA director general.
The prosecutor said the LDA prepared the feasibility of Rs 14 billion and it was not authentic and was tantamount to benefit Paragon city. Shahbaz Sharif objected to the NAB's investigation report. Shahbaz Sharif said that the questions for which they had been pleading for further remand had already been put to him during the custody. "They could not prove anything against him," said Shahbaz Sharif. Shahbaz told the court that he had disclosed the whole tale of Kamran Kiani during his speech in the parliament. The court snubbed the NAB official for repeatedly interrupting Shahbaz.
Shahbaz Sharif said presented copy of the minutes of the meeting held in connection with the first bid of the project. NAB itself leveled allegations in Saaf Pani Company case and then itself abolished the same; he said adding that the NAB was satisfied about its question related to Ashiyana Housing scheme scam.
On it, the NAB official interrupted Shahbaz Sharif again and said that he was misstating about it. "Shahbaz is habitual to ask questions rather than giving the answers," the prosecutor said. The officials pleaded the court for further 15-day physical remand of Shahbaz Sharif to carry out further investigation in the matter. A female lawyer meanwhile started speaking in favor of Shahbaz Sharif on which the NAB court said that court knew she was also there.
Advocate Azam Nazir Tarar who was representing Shahbaz Sharif in the case opposed the NAB's plea regarding further remand, pleading that the same be rejected.
At this, the counsel of the NAB said that they had received production order of Shahbaz Sharif, therefore, his transit remand also be allowed. Amjad Pervez, the other lawyer of Shahbaz Sharif, argued that they had already submitted complete record to the NAB and had submitted answers of all questions. Therefore, there was no need of further physical remand. He also asked the court to reject the NAB's plea for further remand.
The court however inclining the NAB's plea granted 10-day physical remand of Shahbaz Sharif with 3-day transit remand. According to the details, Shahbaz Sharif initially was accused of directing the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) to assign the Ashiyana project to the LDA that eventually went to Lahore Casa Developers, and caused a loss of Rs 715 million as well as failure of the project. Shahbaz Sharif was also accused of directing the PLDC to award consultancy services of the project to M/s Engineering Consultancy Services, Punjab, for Rs 192 million, whereas the actual cost was Rs 35m as quoted by Nespak.
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