An accountability court on Saturday asked counsel of Khwaja Saad Rafiq to forward his arguments on the jurisdiction of court to hear reference of Paragon City scam after counsel of his brother Khwaja Salman concluded his arguments. The court also extended judicial remand of the suspects till October 14. The counsel of former provincial minister Khwaja Salman Rafiq concluding his arguments and said, "There is no allegation of corruption against them or misusing national exchequer being public office-holder."
He further said that case regarding a private business did not fall within the domain of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999.
He said the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) was competent to look into such matters under Companies Act 2017. Had the SECP filed the case against the Khwaja Brothers, there would have been no question on the court's jurisdiction, he said. Opposing the defence, the NAB prosecutor said there were rulings by the Supreme Court that the trial court could not entertain appeal against the indictment. He said the apex court also gave priority to the NAO on the Companies Act 2017.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019