LAHORE - The Joint Investigation Team on the 2014 Model Town tragedy in scheduled to record the statement of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat jail on Monday (tomorrow).
The team has already recorded the statements of various Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders in the case. The permission for the purpose was granted by an accountability court on an application submitted by the police.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Mirza Usman opposed the request made for the purpose and pleaded that the accountability court was not the proper forum to seek such permission. He had contended that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was the right forum for the purpose.
The Supreme Court had ordered the formation of a new joint investigation team (JIT).
On March 7, the new JIT had summoned PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and party leaders Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Asif and Pervaiz Rasheed to record their statements.
Case against Shehbaz adjourned till 27TH
Meanwhile, PML-N President Mian Shehbaz Sharif appeared before an accountability court here on Saturday to say that he and his son Hamza had been falsely implicated by NAB in the Ramzan Sugar Mills and Ashiana Housing Scheme cases
Judge Jawad-ul-Hassan told Mr Sharif that he could convey his reservations at an appropriate forum. Subsequently, the judge, due to absence of admin judge, adjourned hearing of the case till March 27.
Besides, former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Cheema, ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad and other accused also appeared before the court.
On March 14, the NAB had filed a petition in the Supreme Court against Sharif’s release on bail in Ramzan Sugar Mills and Ashiana Housing Scheme cases.
The plea was submitted by NAB Special Prosecutor Akram Qureshi in which it was stated that Shehbaz Sharif’s bail approval by the Lahore High Court was contradictory to facts.
The NAB contended that former Punjab Chief Minister had caused loss to national exchequer in Ramzan Sugar Mills and Ashiana Housing Scheme scams and exceeded his jurisdictions. The apex court was requested to nullify the LHC’s decision of bail approval.
The LHC had granted the bail against two surety bonds worth one million each.
The former chief minister was taken into custody by the National Accountability Bureau Lahore on October 5, 2018.
Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Shehbaz expressed concern over Mian Nawaz Sharif’s falling health and said Prime Minister Imran Khan and his PTI would be responsible if something happened to the three-time former prime minister.
