LAHORE: An accountability court on Saturday extended by 15 days the physical remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother, Salman Rafique, in connection to the Paragon Housing Society scam.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials presented the PML-N leader and his brother before the court and sought a 15-day extension in their physical remand. Saad was brought to Lahore from Islamabad where he was on transit remand since December 20 to attend the NA session.
During the hearing, NAB investigation officer informed the court that Qaiser Amin Butt said in his statement that the Rafique brothers were the owners of Paragon City.
“Under this project, commercial plots worth Rs2 billion were illegally sold. While, patwaris have told that 40 kanals of government land was also sold. We have to record the statements of those who bought this land,” the investigation officer added.
He further said, “We are in contact with close to 100 affected persons of which an individual names Haji Rafique in his statement said that he owns 200 kanals of land in Paragon City and he was not given a single penny.”
NAB officials requested the court for a 15-day extension in the physical remand of the Rafique brothers. The court reserved its decision at first but later approved NAB’s request.
Ordering that Saad and Salman be presented before court on January 5, the court adjourned the hearing of the case.
On December 11, NAB arrested the Rafique brothers after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected their request for an extension in their pre-arrest bail in the case pertaining to the housing society scam.
