Paragon Housing Society: SC issues notice to NAB in Khawaja brothers' bail pleas

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file a reply in Khawaja brothers' bail petitions.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Maqbool Baqir and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, heard former Railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique's appeal against the Lahore High Court (LHC)'s order.

Advocate Ashtar Ausaf, lawyer of Khawaja Saad, pleaded that so far the NAB was unable to establish allegations against his client and Khawaja Salman Rafique, despite the fact that the case had been pending since 2018.

He requested the bench to order the trial court that had been hearing the case to present its report as well.

Ausaf submitted that out of 122 witnesses, statements of only five witnesses had been recorded.

Khawaja brothers moved the SC after the LHC rejected their bail in the corruption case.

A two-member bench of the court headed by Justice Baqir Ali Najfi had pronounced the reserved verdict in the pleas.

According to the NAB, Khawaja Saad Rafique in collusion with his wife, Ghazala Saad Rafique Butt, brother Salman Rafique, Qaiser Amin Butt, and Nadeem Zia, had launched a housing project named Air Avenue, which was later renamed as Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd.

The accused allegedly connived with Nadeem Zia and Qaiser Amin Butt to defraud several members of the society and misappropriated project funds for personal gains.

The accused collected huge amounts in flagrant violation of directions from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA).

Besides, Saad Rafique acquired 40 kanals of land in his and his brother's names, which he used to extend the project illegally and sold commercial plots worth billions of rupees.

On February 11, an accountability court, Lahore, issued an arrest warrant for Qaiser Amin Butt, the director of Paragon Housing Society and the primary accused person in the Paragon City Housing reference, who has turned witness for the prosecution against the Khawaja brothers.