Court extends Hamza Shahbaz's judicial remand

An accountability court (AC) in Lahore has on Wednesday extended Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz's judicial remand till November 12 in Ramzan Sugar Mills and money laundering cases.

Hamza Shahbaz was produced before the court by the Kot Lakhpat Jail officials. The AC granted exemption to Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif from court appearance on medical grounds as his counsel said that Shehbaz could appear owing to back pain.

AC Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry conducted the hearing and asked from the National

Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor that when will the reference of the Ramzan Sugar Mills case be filed.

The NAB prosecutor told the accountability court that the reference will soon be filed after getting approval from the anti-graft body chairman, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal. Hamza Shahbaz talked to media and prayed for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's health. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers should fully participate in Jamiat Ulema-e-IslamFazl's Azadi March, he added.

Meanwh i le , Accountability court on Wednesday has extended judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of National Assembly ( MNA) Khawaja

Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique till November 13 in Paragon Housing Scheme scandal.

During the hearing headed by accountability judge Jawadul-Hassan, the court has summoned lawyers for cross examination of the statements recorded by five witnesses.

Earlier, accountability court had rejected Khawaja brothers' acquittal pleas and extended their judicial remand till October 30 in Paragon Housing Society reference. On April 26, the NAB Lahore had approved filing of a reference against the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia for the alleged corruption.

Qaiser Amin Butt, the director of Paragon Housing Society, was also included in the inquiry initiated by the

NAB, and he was also arrested in November last year. Later, he agreed to turn approver against the Khawaja brothers and Zia.

Butt and Zia established a company "Air Avenue" in the year 2003; however the name was later changed to Paragon City private (Pvt) Limited.

On December 11, 2018, Khawaja brothers were detained by the accountability watchdog after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected their bail plea.

The NAB had launched an investigation into the alleged scam in November last year after a number of victims staged protests and held a press conference at the Lahore Press Club against what they termed the housing society's fraud.