Accountability court sends PML-N leader Khawaja Asif on 14-day remand

• Asif asks NAB to correct its record regarding his case
• The PML-N leader says NAB yet to find concrete evidence against him
• Court asks NAB to present PML-N leader again on Jan 13

LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore has sent PML-N leader Khawaja Asif on a 14-day physical remand at the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) request.

The remand request was put forward by the accountability watchdog to investigate the PML-N leader before Accountability Court’s Admin Judge Jawadul Hasan.

During the hearing, the NAB prosecutor told the court that the inquiry against the PML-N leader had begun on June 23, 2020.

Upon hearing this, the judge turned towards the PML-N leader and asked him if he wanted to say something.

At this, Asif asked the judge whether he could speak in Punjabi. To which the judge said he could.

Read more: Khawaja Asif says PML-N ready to end tit-for-tat politics if PTI takes initiative

Asif then asked NAB to correct its record and told the court that he first appeared before the watchdog in 2018.

“No action was initiated against me in 2020,” said the PML-N leader. The former minister added that he had been an MNA for seven times but a case of embezzlement of only Rs210 million was made against him.

To this, the judge remarked that maybe if the investigation is done then they may find embezzlement of another Rs210 million. At this, the courtroom erupted in laughter.

However, Asif responded saying that NAB is yet to find any “concrete evidence” against him.

To this, the NAB official said the PML-N leader is accused of concealing assets and their sources. He added that the PML-N stalwart’s assets worth Rs221 million do not match his income.

Read more: NAB summons Khawaja Asif in housing society case

The NAB lawyer added that the PML-N leader had claimed that he has received Rs130 million from a job at a UAE firm but failed to prove his money trail during the investigation.

Following the arguments, the court approved the remand and directed NAB to present Asif again on January 13. The court also allowed Asif to meet his wife and lawyer at the NAB office in Lahore

Khawaja Asif arrested from Islamabad

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb had confirmed on Tuesday night that PML-N stalwart Khawaja Asif has been arrested by NAB in Islamabad.

Asif was taken into custody in the backdrop of an ongoing investigation into allegations of him possessing assets beyond known sources of income.

Aurangzeb said he was arrested near PML-N general secretary Ahsan Iqbal's house.

The PML-N leader was at Iqbal's house to take part in a debate whether PML-N will take part in senate elections or not.

Asif left the meeting and was moments later arrested near Iqbal's residence.