Proceedings in Ashiana-e-Iqbal housing reference adjourned till August 7

LAHORE (92 News) - An accountability court in the provincial metropolis adjourned on Wednesday the proceedings in the Ashiana-i-Iqbal housing scheme case as of August 7.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif, who is on bail, and former premier Nawaz Sharif’s principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad, who had become approver in the case, appeared before the court for hearing into the case.

Strict security arrangements were taken outside the judicial complex on the occasion of hearing.

Motorists faced a great deal of inconvenience after traffic police closed all adjacent roads by placing containers.

“This case is wastage of time as our PML-N government had unearthed Ashiana-i-Iqbal fraud ,” Shehbaz said.

Talking to reporters, he said all who are being arrested in the case are innocent.

"This is unfortunate that jail authorities have stopped medically-recommended diet to Nawaz Sharif," he lamented.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor, however, pleaded with the court to proceed with the case as “Shehbaz Sharif has been wasting court’s time.”

The NAB has already filed the reference against Shehbaz Sharif.

In the previous hearing, Sharif’s defense counsel Amjad Pervez cross-examined witness Sidra Mansoor, and asked her whom directives she had produced the record.

She replied that the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) had asked her about the record.

The defence counsel further asked her whether the in-charge of the SECP had given her any written directives over the matter.

To which, she responded that in-charge Liaquat Ali had given her verbal directives, and the same record, which was submitted with the NAB, was presented in the court. Moreover, she said she had been included in the investigation process on May 30, 2018.

On July 8, NAB prosecutor had presented an investigation report to the court in Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing scam case.

Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif appeared before an accountability court in Lahore. The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) president and former LDA director general Ahad Cheema were continuously whispering during the hearing.

However, the anti-graft watchdog prosecutor presented an investigation report to the court. Shehbaz Sharif pleaded to leave the court but Jawadul Hassan remarked that wait and sit because there is need of him here.

He repeatedly came into rostrum and complained backache, saying that he could not sit due to the pain. Later, Shehbaz Sharif was allowed to leave the court.

Other accused persons, including Fawad Hassan Fawad, Ahad Cheema and Munir Zia are also present in the court.

On February 18, accountability court Judge Syed Najmul Hassan had indicted 10 suspects including Shehbaz Sharif in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing scam case.

All the accused rejected the charges. The PMLN president had sworn to God that the case against him was false and affirmed to bring facts in front of the nation.

Ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad became an approver in the case. Fawad Hassan Fawad, in his statement before NAB, had claimed that he had awarded a contract to a “favourite firm” in the Rs14 billion Ashiana Housing project at the behest of Shahbaz Sharif.

Separately, an AC extended the physical remand of PML-N MNA Hamza Shehbaz in assets beyond income case till August 3.