LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday extended interim bail of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab President Rana Sanaullah in the assets beyond means case till March 10.

The division bench, headed by Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, heard the pre-arrest bail petition, filed by the PML-N Punjab president. Rana Sanaullah, along with his counsel, Azam Nazir Tarar and Amjad Pervaiz, appeared before the bench at the start of the proceedings. Advocate Azam Tarar argued before the bench that his client had filed two different petitions. He submitted that the bureau had filed reply in one petition whereas reply was awaited in the other petition. 

He submitted that the bureau had filed reply in assets beyond means case, whereas the reply had not filed to the petition, challenging jurisdiction of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman. 

He submitted that the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) had claimed that Rana Sanaullah had amassed assets from the drug money whereas the bureau had claimed that Rana Sanaullah made the assets from sources beyond means while being a public office holder. 

To this, NAB Prosecutor Syed Faisal Raza Bukhari submitted that the bureau had already filed the reply in March 2020, which was present in the court file.

However, the bench addressed the prosecutor and asked him to file a reply again. Subsequently, the bench adjourned further proceedings till March 10 and also extended interim bail of the PML-N leader.

LHC stops police from unduly harassing MPA

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday stopped police from unduly harassing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Sohail Shaukat Butt.

Justice Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad passed the orders while disposing of a petition filed by the MPA against police raids at his house. The court had reserved the verdict on petition after hearing arguments of the parties and it was announced on Tuesday.

Earlier, in his arguments, Dr Khalid Ranjha on behalf of the petitioner argued before the court that his client was not involved in any illegal activity but the police raided his house and outhouse without any reason. He argued that the police raided the house of the petitioner on February 3 and illegally harassed him. He pleaded with the court to stop police from harassing the petitioner.

However, a provincial law officer submitted that the petitioner had given shelter to absconders at his outhouse and he was also involved in different cases.

To which, the petitioner’s counsel argued that his client had been acquitted in many cases whereas he had obtained bail in other cases. He submitted that the petitioner also appeared before the trial courts regularly.