LAHORE - A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench on Wednesday extended interim bail of PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique till December 11.

The division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Tariq  Abbasi passed the orders while hearing pre-arrest bail petitions filed by Khawaja brothers. They have been facing a probe in housing schemes scam.

At the outset of the proceedings, Khawaja Saad and Khawaja Salman appeared before the bench on expiry of their interim bail.

The bench was apprised that Khawaja brothers’ counsel Azam Nazir Tarar and Amjad Pervez were busy in the Supreme Court. The bench was requested to adjourn the matter in view of their engagement.

Then, the bench inquired National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor whether a decision had been made on Khawaja brothers’s application for change of investigation against them.

To which, the prosecutor submitted that the chairman NAB heard the parties and a decision would be made within next two or three days, in this regard.

In response to another query, the prosecutor submitted that grounds of Khawaja brothers’ arrest were available.

Subsequently, the bench extending the interim bail of Khawaja brothers till Dec 11 directed the prosecutor to make it a part of the court record. Both brothers had filed the bail petitions saying that National Accountability Bureau had initiated various inquiries against them. They submitted that they were completely cooperating in investigations and they had furnished all the required record to the bureau interrogators. But, despite that there was a possibility that the interrogators might arrest them, they added. They pleaded with the court to grant  interim bail.

LDA city scam case

An accountability court on Wednesday extended judicial remand of former director general Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Cheema in LDA city scam.

The court extended the judicial remand of Ahad Cheema for another 15 days with a direction to produce him again on expiry of remand term, December 20.

Accountability Court Judge Syed Najam-ul-Hassan heard the case whereas the accused was also produced in the court.

NAB was probing complaints of irregularities and wrongdoings in the LDA city Project.The LDA and its development partners were accused of selling more plots than the land acquired by them.

LHC adjourns hearing of
petition challenging exhibition
of Indian films

The Lahore High Court (LHC) Wednesday adjourned hearing of a petition, challenging exhibition of Indian films in Pakistan, till December 6 and sought final arguments from the parties. Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi heard the petition filed by film producer Sohail Ahmad Khan, who is a member of the Pakistan Film Producers’ Association.

As proceedings commenced, the petitioner’s counsel submitted that the release of Indian films in Pakistan had an adverse effect on the local film industry. He submitted that as per law, the screening of Indian films was banned in Pakistan. However, despite the ban, the Indian films were being released illegally, he added. Cinema Owners Association and others filed their replies to the petition during the proceedings.  At this, the court adjourned hearing till December 6 and sought final arguments from all parties.

SC dismisses convict’s petition in
Sialkot lynching case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition for suspension of sentence of a convict in Sialkot lynching case. 

The two-member bench headed by Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik heard the petition filed by convict Asghar Ali, at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry. Earlier, Additional Prosecutor General Punjab Mazhar Sher Awan submitted that the convict along with others lynched two brothers - Mughees Sajjad and Muneeb Sajjad. He submitted that the trial court handed down life term sentence to the convict after he was found guilty. He pleaded with the court to dismiss the petition for suspension of sentence. However, defence counsel submitted that the convict was present on the occasion but he did not play any role in lynching. He pleaded with the bench for suspension of the sentence. The bench after hearing arguments of the parties dismissed the petition for suspension of the sentence.  In 2010, a mob had lynched two brothers- Mughees Sajjad and Muneeb Sajjad in Sialkot in the presence of police, suspecting them as dacoits. In 2011, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Gujranwala awarded death sentences to seven of the accused, life imprisonment to six and three-year jail term to all of the police officials involved. The Lahore High Court dismissed the appeals of 13 convicts against their sentence in the case while acquitting police officials on benefit of doubt.–APP