NAB court extends Shehbaz’s remand by another 10 days

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LAHORE: An accountability court on Monday extended former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remand by another 10 days in the Ashiana Housing Scheme case, a private TV channel reported. The leader of the opposition in National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president was presented in the court. During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) sought a 15-day extension in his physical remand. The court reserved its decision on the request for extension but later extended it by 10 days, including a three-day transit remand. The court ordered that Shehbaz be produced again on November 7. As the hearing started, Shehbaz presented arguments in his defence himself. “I have been implicated in false cases,” he told the court. “NAB officials blackmail me,” he claimed. “I have been battling blood cancer but they [NAB officials] are not even allowing me to get my check-up done. I was on my deathbed but God is Great and he gave me health,” he added. “I am not even allowed to meet my family,” the leader of the opposition in NA regretted. “Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav was allowed to meet his family but I am not permitted to meet mine even once a week,” he said. At this, the NAB prosecutor expressed reservations, however Shehbaz said, “I am a human and a Pakistani. Let people express their views.” Stating that he served the province selflessly, Shehbaz upheld, “If this is a crime then I will continue doing it. God’s court is the biggest.” “I have rights which I am not being granted. I am being tortured but God willing this too will soon pass,” he added. Shehbaz’s counsels expressed reservations over the heavy deployment of police at the court premises. “A curfew-like situation was there outside the court and even we were not being granted permission to enter the premises,” they said. The NAB prosecutor again expressed reservations and said Shehbaz was giving answers himself to allegations against him. The judge directed Shehbaz to speak ‘freely’. To this, Shehbaz said, “I revealed the Kamran Kayani secret in the National Assembly and will speak in the court as well with evidence.” Presenting the minutes of the first meeting for the bidding of the contract, Shehbaz said, “The inquiry is from December 2013 to October 2014 and I’m reading out minutes from February 27, 2014.” “Even last time I said that I did not cancel the first bid. In December 2014, a second bid was conducted which was held by the PLDC. I cancelled Kamran Kayani’s contract. We received 50 bids and I supported and praised Allauddin,” he said. “During the last hearing, NAB had also spoken of the second bid but then they distorted the facts and misinformed the court,” he added. Presenting documents regarding the public-private partnership, Shehbaz said, “In the last 25 days, I have cleared all allegations regarding Ashiana Housing and Saaf Pani cases.” To this, the NAB prosecutor said, “Shehbaz Sharif is misstating facts … he served as Punjab chief minister twice.” However, Shehbaz said the NAB prosecutor was ‘wrong’ and added, “I was Punjab chief minister thrice.” The NAB prosecutor said, “Shehbaz has a habit of asking questions rather than answering those.” The NAB prosecutor requested a 15-day extension in Shehbaz’s physical remand. The prosecutor further requested that the court approve Shehbaz’s transit remand as his production orders have been issued to attend the National Assembly session. However, Shehbaz’s counsel opposed the NAB’s request for extension in his remand. Granting the extension, the court adjourned the hearing till November 7. Published in Daily Times, October 30th 2018.

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