Daily Times

Admitting for hearing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif’s bail plea in a money laundering case, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday said the case would be taken up for hearing on June 1 (Tuesday).

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Miss Alia Neelum and Justice Asjad Javed Ghural, will take up the case for hearing. The bench on Saturday directed the lawyer representing Asif to give more arguments in the case. The PML-N leader had filed a bail application in the LHC on March 27. So far the hearing in the case has been held only once during the last two months.

Last time hearing could not be held due to the non-availability of a two-member bench. Asif had nominated the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman as well as the director-general as respondents in the bail petition. The PML-N leader had been arrested in Islamabad on December 29, 2020 in a money laundering and assets beyond means of income case.

The PML-N leader stated in the petition that he had already provided a record to the NAB in the case, and that the Accountability Court (AC) judge had also made an observation that the anti-corruption watchdog had all the case’s record with it. The petitioner further stated that not only the NAB, but the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) also had details of his assets. Moreover, the PML-N leader stated in his petition that he was being kept in jail without any reason because there was no further requirement of recovery of money from him.

Similarly, he added, the case will take a long time to reach conclusion since all the witnesses had to record their statements. “And since keeping somebody in jail without conviction for a longer period of time is an injustice, therefore the court orders acceptance of his post-arrest bail in a money laundering case,” Asif argued in the petition.