Daily Times

An accountability court on Wednesday extended the physical remand of the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Hamza Shahbaz by 15 days.

The senior PML-N leader has been named in the Ramzan Sugar Mills corruption case and accused of possessing assets beyond known means of income.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials will present the PML-N leader in court on July 24.

During Wednesday’s hearing, the accountability watchdog said they were also investigating the funds in Hamza’s personal bank account.

NAB is also investigating property that was bought in Lahore’s Johar Town between 2013 and 2017 and is in the process of determining the accurate value of properties not mentioned in the Federal Board of Revenue records and Election Commission of Pakistan documents.

NAB prosecutors have claimed that the PML-N leader has not been cooperating during questioning.

NAB further claims to have found evidence of money laundering on a massive scale through which Hamza and his family allegedly accumulated assets in the United Kingdom.

According to sources privy to NAB’s probe, the allegedly illegally accumulated assets are worth Rs85 billion to Rs100 billion and were bought during Shehbaz Sharif’s tenure as the chief minister of Punjab.

NAB claims to have found that Hamza’s declared assets in 2003 were worth less than Rs20 million, which increased by almost 2,000% to over Rs 410 million after his father became the chief minister.

Ishaq Dar

Meanwhile, an accountability court on Wednesday recorded statement of the investigation officer in assets reference against former finance minister Ishaq Dar.

Investigation officer of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Nadir Abbas, recorded his statement in the court presided over by Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir.

Co-accused in the reference, former president National Bank Saeed Ahmed, Naeem Mehmood and Mansoor Raza Rizvi were also present during the case hearing.

Defence counsels will cross-examine NAB investigation officer, Nadir Abbas, in the next hearing of the case. The court adjourned the hearing until July 17.

Earlier in the case hearing, head of joint investigation team (JIT) in Panama Leaks probe Wajid Zia had recorded his statement as the prosecution witness. He was later cross-examined by the defence counsels.

A reference was filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Ishaq Dar following the Supreme Court’s July 28, 2017 verdict in the Panama Papers case.

It may be mentioned here that the court has declared Ishaq Dar as a proclaimed offender due to his continuous absence from hearing of the case.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between British and Pakistan authorities over Ishaq Dar’s extradition to Pakistan. He is facing charges of accumulating assets beyond known sources of income.

The document was signed after Adviser to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar held talks with British Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

Asma and Arbab Alamgir

Separately, an assets beyond means case against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) stalwarts husband and wife Asma Arbab Alamgir and Arbab Alamgir was adjourned until August 8.

The accountability court hearing a case against the politicians granted Arbab Alamgir immunity from court appearance on Wednesday’s hearing.

Alamgir had requested the court for amnesty from the court appearance prior. An accountability court had indicted the couple once again after removing the part regarding foreign properties from the reference on February 12.

It is pertinent to mention here that Asma Alamgir and her spouse, Arbab Alamgir, who is also a PPP leader and ex-communications’ minister, were facing charges of accumulating assets beyond their known sources of income in a reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had alleged that both the suspects accumulated assets to the tune of Rs332 million, which were disproportionate to their known sources of income. The couple claimed innocence and stated that all their assets were acquired through known sources.

The NAB further alleged that during investigation, it was revealed that both of the suspects accumulated huge assets worth millions of rupees disproportionate to their income. As per the reference, the inquiry was authorised on November 4, 2015 that was subsequently converted into investigation with the approval of NAB executive board on January 12, 2018.

Pervaiz Ashraf

On the other hand, an accountability court in Islamabad on Wednesday adjourned until July 13 a case pertaining to alleged illegal appointments in Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO).

Accountability Judge Naeem Arshad directed both the prosecution and defence sides to forward their arguments on an application filed by PPP leader and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf seeking his acquittal in the case for want of evidence.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, he said the opposition parties’ Rahbar Committee will decide a candidate for the slot of the Senate chairman.

It will be clear on the voting day in the upper house of parliament that the opposition succeeds in getting its chairman elected or not, he said. The PPP leader said he respected courts that will dispense justice.

Ashraf and seven other people facing charges of illegal recruitment in GEPCO had been indicted in the case.

The NAB had filed reference against the accused on the charge of making illegal appointments in the electric power company.