A local court has adjourned hearing of a corruption reference against former Sindh minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Memon and other accused till October 4.
The court called for proceeding arguments in the reference after accepting it for hearing.
The court expressed outrage over usage of inappropriate word for court by the defence counsel over calling ‘Adalat Sahib [Mr Court]’ in the hearing. The judge gave observation, “The court is only court here. However, a judge can be called as ‘judge Sahib [Mr Judge].’ To this, the defence counsel tendered apology before the judge.
The court called parties in the case to proceed arguments and adjourned the hearing till October 4.
Memon is accused of awarding government advertisements at exorbitant rates when he was Sindh’s information minister. A reference about Rs. 5.76 billion corruption in the information department being heard by an accountability court.
He was arrested by the accountability bureau in 2017 and remained in jail for 20 months. He is currently out of jail after court granted him bail.
Earlier on September 6, The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had approved references against former Sindh minister Sharjeel Memon and former managing director PSO Irfan Khalil.
The Executive Board meeting of the anti-graft body in Islamabad was chaired by its chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal.
The meeting granted approval to filing references against Sharjeel Memon, former managing director PSO Irfan Khalil.
The board also approved inquiries against Babar Ghauri, Senator Kulsoom Parveen, Awais Shah.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Noman, who was arrested in Lahore parking company scandal, has been released from camp jail.
As per details, PML-N leader has been released on bail by a two member bench of Lahore High Court. He was welcomed by PML-N workers outside the jail.
The court ordered his released against two surety bonds of Rs 50 lac.
It is pertinent to mention here that Noman was arrested by NAB in November 28, 2018 and his bail was rejected by an LHC bench.
Separately, an accountability Court on Saturday adjourned hearing of Paragon Housing Scheme corruption case against Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique till October 2 on request of the lawyers.
Accountability court judge Jawad ul Hassan was hearing the case.
During the hearing the counsels pleaded to the court to defer the hearing due to the lawyers strike.
The court directed the counsels of the sides to give their arguments on Oct. 02 over a petition of defence challenging jurisdiction of the court.
Khawaja Saad Rafique and Salman Rafique could not be produced before the court in today’s hearing.
The National Accountability Bureau’s prosecutor told the court that the two defendants could not be produced due to security concerns amid a strike call by the Lahore Bar.
The court issued explanation call to the SSP headquarters for failure in production of Khawaja brothers in the case hearing.
The jail officials earlier informed the court that the police authorities failed to provide security for production of Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique in hearing of the case.