LAHORE - An Accountability Court (AC) on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for a NAB witness over his non-appearance in the Paragon City case.
Accountability Court Judge Syed Jawadul Hassan conducted the case proceedings, wherein former railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique appeared.
The court expressed serious annoyance over non-appearance of a NAB witness after the prosecution informed that the witness could not appear due to a wedding in his family.
The court observed that the witness did not take his appearance seriously and ordered to produce him while adjourning the matter for a short time.
However, the investigation officer failed to produce the witness before the court on resumption of the proceedings.
At this, the court issued arrest warrants for the witness and adjourned further hearing till December 18.
The NAB had alleged that the Khwaja brothers, through their benamidars and with the abetment of former MPA Qaiser
Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia, established a housing project in the name of Air Avenue, which was later converted into Paragon City without lawful process. It accused the former railways minister and his brother of receiving monetary benefits of Rs 58 million and 39 million, respectively, from the Paragon City through proxy firms under the grab of consultancy services.
Court adjourns hearing of Ashiana case till 22nd
An Accountability Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing of Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing scheme case till December 22.
The court granted final opportunity to two witnesses for producing the record.
The court had summoned prosecution witnesses Muhammad Hussain and Kashif along with record for writing down their statements but they failed to submit the record during the proceedings.
Accountability Court Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry conducted the case proceedings.
It is pertinent to mention here that the court had recorded statements of 12 witnesses so far whereas the total number of witnesses was 86.
The court had granted permanent exemption from personal appearance to Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and former bureaucrat Fawad Hassan Fawad whereas their pleaders appeared on their behalf. The court had indicted 10 accused, including Shehbaz Sharif, in the case.
The NAB in the reference alleged that Shehbaz Sharif being the Chief Minister of Punjab misused his authority by unlawfully assuming powers of Board of Directors of PLDC. It is said he in connivance with his co-suspects awarded a contract to an ineligible proxy firm that resulted in failure of Ashiana Housing Scheme causing a loss to public exchequer and deprived 61,000 applicants of houses.