Supreme Court grants bail to Khawaja brothers in Paragon Housing case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday approved the bail of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique.

The apex court approved the bails of the Khawaja brothers against two bonds worth Rs 3 million each. The brothers have been facing a corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

On December 11, NAB arrested the Rafique brothers after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected their request for an extension in their pre-arrest bail in the case pertaining to the housing society scam.

The Rafique brothers had approached the apex court after the LHC had cancelled their bail plea.

Also read: What is the Paragon housing scam?

NAB allegations

Following their arrests, NAB Lahore issued a press release and stated that "accused Saad Rafique along with his benamidaar wife Ghazala Saad Rafique, brother Salman Rafique in association with Qaiser Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia established a housing project in the name of Air Avenue which was converted into a new housing project namely M/S Paragon City Pvt Limited. Record shows that M/S Paragon City is an illegal society.

“Accused in collusion, connivance and collaboration of Qaiser Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia cheated the members of public at large and obtained illegal pecuniary benefits from the funds of said illegal housing project," it added.

Further, it stated, "Accused is operating this illegal housing project through his associates/ co-accused persons who are collecting deposits from general public despite clear directions from LDA that this project is unapproved."

"Accused has been and is continuously obtaining illegal/ illegitimate funds/ benefits from said project as he obtained 40 kanal plots in his own name and the name of his brother Salman Rafique.”

The press release continued, “Accused by misusing his official position continued the expansion and marketing of illegal housing project and also obtained undue benefits in the form of sale of numbers of commercial plots worth billions of rupees which were actually not owned by M/S Paragon City. Thus the buyers have been cheated through this action of corruption and corrupt practices.