LAHORE: An accountability court, hearing a private property reference against Jang-Geo Media Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman (MSR), on Tuesday extended his physical remand till April 18.
The court earlier in the day adjourned the hearing of the case until the Lahore High Court (LHC) decided a bail petition filed by MSR’s spouse on his behalf. The high court turned down the plea after hearing arguments, after which the accountability court also extended MSR’s physical remand.
During the hearing, MSR’s advocate Amjad Pervez presented his arguments before the court. He told the court the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had said it wanted the Lahore Development Authority director general to have a face-to-face talk with the media group’s editor-in-chief. “The DG LDA had earlier recorded his statement, then what is the need to have a face-to-face conversation?”, asked the lawyer.
The counsel said the NAB had asked the LDA for a map. “What does MSR’s remand have to do with LDA either giving or not giving the map?” Earlier while presenting his arguments, the lawyer told the court his client had provided all the documents as required.
Advocate Pervez said all the investigation was carried forward according to the law but now it was being turned into vengeance. “NAB does not want to recover anything from MSR. According to the law, physical remand is allowed when a recovery is to be made from the suspect,” he said.
The lawyer further said the then serving officers had recorded their statements with the NAB and the authority had also taken all the record from Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
Meanwhile, the LHC turned down the bail plea filed on behalf of the Jang-Geo Editor-in-Chief. During the hearing, NAB prosecutor Faisal Raza Bukhari told the court the bureau’s chairman had been informed of all facts regarding the case via video link. He added the NAB chairman was being given all updates regarding the case and the investigation was being conducted on his instructions.
Counsel for the petitioner Aitezaz Ahsan, argued before the court his client should be granted bail as he was ailing and old. He added MSR “was not running off anywhere” and that the court could ask for a surety bond for its satisfaction.
The lawyer also urged the court to ask for the video recording of the investigation proceedings against MSR.
The NAB had on March 12 arrested MSR in connection with a property allegedly bought illegally from a government entity more than three decades ago. According to a Jang Group spokesperson, the property was in fact bought from a private party 34 years ago and all evidence to this effect was given to the NAB and legal requirements fulfilled, such as duty and taxes.
MSR’s arrest has been slammed both locally and internationally as the latest attempt by a heavy-handed regime to suppress dissent.
