NAB officials question Saad Rafique, brother in Paragon housing scheme case

 

LAHORE: Officials of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) separately questioned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique on Tuesday in relation to Paragon housing scheme case.

The NAB had launched a probe against Rafique and his brother with regard to the housing society. Being partners in Paragon housing scheme, the two Rafiques are accused of benefiting from Ashiana Iqbal housing scheme through Paragon housing scheme.

The two brothers arrived at the NAB office in the afternoon on Tuesday, where a three-member NAB team separately questioned them for an hour.

Saad Rafique and his brother submitted the money trail and other record with the anti-graft body, Geo News learnt.

The two brothers have also recorded their statements to the NAB earlier, besides replying to a NAB questionnaire as well.

LHC grants interim bail to Saad Rafique, brother

The court has prohibited NAB from arresting the two brothers till October 24

NAB sources informed Geo News that officials questioned the Rafique brothers in the light of their answers to the NAB questionnaire.

Earlier on Monday, the two brothers were granted protective bail by the Lahore High Court, after the Islamabad High Court refused to grant them bail. 

The LHC had accepted the petition filed by the Rafique brothers and prohibited the anti-graft body from arresting the two brothers till October 24. The court had also summoned details pertaining to corruption allegations against them.

Commenting on the proceedings against Rafique and his brother, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had said that the former will be arrested soon. "The entire world knows what kind of cases have been created against Shehbaz Sharif and Saad Rafique," Nawaz said.  

NAB presents Shehbaz before court

The anti-graft body also presented PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif before an accountability court today after his 10-day physical remand in the bureau's custody ended today.

The court granted a 14-day extension in the physical remand of the former Punjab chief minister in the Ashiana Housing Scheme case.

Shehbaz Sharif reaches accountability court as 10-day remand ends

Strict security arrangements are in place on the routes leading to the court's premises

Shehbaz, who is the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, was arrested in Ashiana Iqbal housing scheme case on October 5, when he appeared before the NAB to record his statement in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company case.

Strict security arrangements were in place on routes leading to the court premises with blockades installed at several places as Shehbaz was presented in court resulting in severe inconvenience for citizens' commute to offices and schools.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president was transported to the court in a car with tinted windows. Shehbaz's sons Hamza and Salman were also present in the accountability court for the hearing.

Speaking to the journalists outside the accountability court, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Shehbaz had worked day and night for the development of Punjab.

"The number of security personnel deployed here [outside the court] is indicative of their fear," she said.