Daily Times

A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday dismissed a pre-arrest bail application of former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA and erstwhile head of Lahore Parking Company (LPC) Hafiz Mian Noman in the LPC scam.

NAB officials took him custody soon after rejection of his bail petition.

The counsel for Mian Noman submitted that the petitioner was elected an MPA in 2013 and later given an honorary post of Lahore Parking Company’s chairman. He pleaded that Mian Noman being chairman of the company never withdrew any emolument and used to attend its board’s meetings on ceremonial basis.

He said that Mian Noman had resigned from the chairmanship of the LPC on December 30, 2016.

He said that the LPC management lawfully awarded contracts of parking lots in a transparent manner and strictly observed procurement rules. He claimed that the NAB initiated an “unlawful” inquiry into the parking contracts issued by the LPC.

NAB prosecutor while opposing the application said that investigation had been launched against the misappropriation in public sector companies, including the Lahore Parking Company. He said that the Supreme Court had taken suo motu against the corruption in public sector companies working in Punjab.

He submitted that the national exchequer had to face loss of millions of rupees due to financial irregularities in the company. He said that final challan against the accused had been submitted in the trial court and the court had commenced the trail.

The bench after hearing the arguments rejected the bail application.

Published in Daily Times, November 29^th 2018.