The Lahore High Court on Monday sought a report from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by March 26 on a petition seeking release of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakeelur Rehman (MSR).
The court however granted the accused permission to meet his family members, lawyers, and personal physician Dr Azmat.
The NAB prosecutor assured that the accused would be provided daily medical checkup, CPAP machine, medication, home cooked food, clothes newspapers, books and writing material.
Earlier, Aitzaz Ehsan, the counsel for the petitioner Shahina Shakeel, the wife of Mir Shakeel, argued that his client was summoned by the NAB on March 12 to answer certain questions regarding verification of a complaint pertaining to 54 Kanal land that he acquired in 1986. He said the then chief minister of Punjab had exempted the land in accordance with law.
The court expressed dismay over NAB's performance and remarked as to why the warrants for arrest were issued while the accused was cooperating with NAB in its proceedings. It seems that the competent authority had not applied his mind.
The NAB prosecutor, however, replied in the negative and said the NAB had been working independently. The court observed that independence of media and independence of judiciary are the two pillars of the state and no one would be allowed to destabilize them and regretted that the chairman NAB issued arrest warrants same day without applying his mind.
The court held that it would appreciate accountability across the board in accordance with law but deviation from the law would not be tolerated. Aitzaz drew court's attention towards "certain flaws" in the remand order.
He said a remand order should be well reasoned but the trial court simply wrote that it was first remand so the reasons would be given for every subsequent remand.
He contended that accountability court while granting 12 days physical remand of the accused on March 13 did not apply Section 24 of National Accountability Ordinance 1999 correctly.
In response to a court's query, Aitzaz said the NAB had summoned Nawaz Sharif in the same case.
Aitzaz said the husband of his client was detained illegally by the NAB authorities. He said the chairman NAB issued arrest warrants for Mir Shakil without applying his mind as neither the questionnaire was given to him nor was investigation finalized.
He said that the chairman NAB was at Islamabad at the time of accused's appearance in Lahore, but he issued warrants without having a final report from his Lahore office. This showed the malafide on the part of chairman and NAB authorities.
Aitzaz requested the court to set aside arrest warrants and remand order, and release the accused from "illegal" detention of NAB. In response to a query about the maintainability of the petition after the accused was on physical remand, Aitzaz said he had also challenged the remand order. Justice Najfi remarked that the NAB should follow some parameters and its own SOPs.
The court asked the NAB prosecutor as to why a questionnaire was not delivered to the accused. The NAB prosecutor said the case of Mir Shakil was at inquiry stage.
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