On NAB request, Lahore court orders closure of 20-year-old inquiries against Chaudhrys

• Lahore court orders to close two inquiries against Chaudhrys pending for last 20 years
• NAB prosecutor and the investigation officer tell court NAB had found no evidence against Chaudhrys.
• The Chaudhrys had been accused of accumulation of assets beyond means and making illegal appointments.

LAHORE: On the request of the National Accountability Bureau, an accountability court ordered to close inquiries against Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday.

NAB Prosecutor Hafiz Assad Ullah and the investigation officer appeared before accountability court judge Sheikh Sajjad Ahmad and said NAB had found no evidence against the Chaudhrys, The News reported. They requested the court to close the inquiries against them.

The IO had recommended the inquiries against the Chaudhrys be closed as no trial-worthy material or evidence had been found, NAB said in its plea.

Read more: NAB accuses Chaudhry brothers of money laundering, accumulating illegal assets

The NAB prosecutor and IO told the court that NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal had given approval to close the inquiries. The court, after hearing the NAB officials, issued orders to close two inquiries against Shujaat and Pervaiz.

The Chaudhrys had been accused of accumulation of assets beyond means and making illegal appointments.

NAB had launched the inquiries against them almost 20 years back. But when the Chaudhrys contacted the Lahore High Court, NAB informed the court that the inquiries had been closed for want of evidence.