Shahbaz pre-arrest bail: Counsel draws LHC attention towards media talks on sub judice matters

LAHORE: The counsel for Shahbaz Sharif, the opposition leader in the National Assembly, Thursday complained to the Lahore High Court (LHC) that Advisor to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar held a press conference the other day on the money-laundering reference pending before an accountability court.

"What impression will it give if he speaks in such a tone? The matter is being heard in the court, but Shahzad Akbar still made a statement on the matter," lead counsel Azam Nazir Tarar argued while trying to draw court’s attention towards the issue.

Tarar said the ministers and the advisors of the government had been openly discussing the sub judice matters which amounted to prejudicing the proceedings before the courts.

He said the ministers had been claiming that Shahbaz would be behind the bars soon.

The counsel urged a two-judge bench, seized with the pre-arrest bail petition of the opposition leader, to take notice of the ministers/ advisors statements and press conferences on the cases pending before the courts.

The bench comprises Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider.

Shahbaz was present in the courtroom while other PML-N leaders including Rana Sanaullah Khan, Khwaja Saad Rafiq and Marriyum Aurangzeb also joined the party’s president.

Resuming his arguments, Advocate Tarar said the Supreme Court had repeatedly observed that NAB made arrests to satisfy its ego, adding that the apex court also asked a few questions after the reference was filed. He said NAB was being used for political engineering and the superior courts of the country had also been giving observations on the lopsided process of accountability.

He said NAB had already issued the arrest warrants for Shahbaz before summoning him for investigation. He questioned the intention of NAB to arrest the petitioner despite the fact that the trial of the case had already been commenced.

Counsel Tarar, in his arguments, said NAB had become an institution of political engineering. "It seems necessary to arrest Shahbaz Sharif because local bodies elections are about to take place," he said, adding that the Khwaja brothers, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former minister Ahsan Iqbal had also faced similar charges.

Tarar said NAB summoned Shahbaz for once during the last three months and he did appear before it. He said the reference filed by NAB was a proof that the investigation stood completed.

Shahbaz also came to the rostrum and spoke in his defence, saying NAB had no evidence against him to establish that he misused the public office for any financial gains. He also sought permission from the bench to present some documents.

The bench assured Shahbaz of an ample opportunity of hearing him, asking him to let his counsel conclude the arguments first.

The counsel said he would require two to three days more to complete his arguments while NAB Special Prosecutor Syed Faisal Raza Bokhari said he needed only 30 minutes for his arguments.

The bench adjourned further hearing till Sept 28 with direction to the petitioner’s counsel to conclude his arguments quickly.

The police deployments remained at high alert in and outside the court to control law and order situation as a large number of party workers came to express solidarity with their leader.

APP adds: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench Thursday extended interim bail of Shahbaz Sharif in assets beyond means and money laundering case till Sept 28.

Counsel for Shahbaz Sharif argued that his client had already provided complete record to the bureau and participated in the trial proceedings. He contended that if bail was granted to Shahbaz Sharif, it would not cause irreparable loss to the bureau.