Nabaz Called Nawaz Sharif in Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman case

Pakistani media demands court response from anti-corruption agency over petition against mogul's arrest

ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday summoned former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on allegations of land allotment to media businessman Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman.

The anti-graft watchdog, which arrested the editor-in-chief of Jung Jio Media Group last week, along with the then chief minister Nawaz Sharif, said that each of the canal 54 plots in Johar Town Lahore received illegal exemptions. . Regarding Punjab, the exclusionary policy violation 34 years ago.


The 70-year-old Sharif is currently living in his luxury apartment in London for treatment of "various diseases". Pakistani Muslim League (N) chief Imran Khan's government has been allowed to go abroad despite criminal convictions in order to quit the Prime Minister's office following the infamous Panamalic scandal before being sent to jail in a corruption case.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has sought para-wise comments from Nab on March 26 on the petition challenging the MSR arrest. Justice Ali Bakar Najafi, Justice Tariq Salim Sheikh's appeal was heard by Shahina Shakeel, wife of Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman.

Attorney Atazaz Ahsan represented the petitioner and submitted that Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman fully supported the bureau and attended the NAB team twice before summoning. He noted that the bureau did not provide a specific questionnaire to satisfy Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman regarding the allegations leveled against him.

Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman was arrested on March 12 despite appearing before a Nab team.

He assured his arrest and argued that the arrest warrants were issued on the same day and time from the Chairman Islamabad, though the record of the case was available at the NAB Lahore. He also questioned the accountability of the Jung Group owner's physical remand.

Responding to a court question, Atijaz submitted that he had read in the newspaper that Nawaz Sharif was also summoned in the case.

At this stage, the court stated that the bureau should ask Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman, and after the NAB prosecutor agreed that the case was still under investigation, he recorded his statement. If he fails to respond, action must be taken according to law, the court said.

The court subsequently issued notices to the Bureau on March 26 and sought partial comment. The NAB prosecutor promised that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman would be allowed to visit his family, lawyer and doctors, and obtain medications and newspapers.

Pirnar Mir Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman challenged the arrest and physical remand, saying it violated the 2019 businessmen's policy. The court asked him to set aside his arrest warrant and remand.