Paragon Housing scam: Saad Rafique's physical remand extended till Jan 26
The Khwaja brothers are accused of embezzlement of funds in the Paragon Housing Society case.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – An accountability court on Saturday extended physical remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique in the Paragon Housing Society scam case till January 26.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials produced the Khwaja brothers before the court for another extension in their physical remand.
Meanwhile, a heavy contingent of police was deployed around the court to prevent party workers from disrupting law and order situation.
NAB prosecutor Waris Ali Janjua pleaded with the court that the NAB had obtained details of Khawaja brothers bank accounts and needed time to investigate further.
The accountability judge Syed Najam-ul-Hasan presided over the hearing, whereas Khwaja brothers defence lawyer Amjad Pervez told the court that whether or not the charge against his clients was true, it would be found in the reference.
"All transactions were made legally, there is no account which was not declared," he said.
Following court s appearance, Salman Rafique denounced the federal government, and welcomed the decision of the opposition parties for a joint alliance, and termed it "better for democracy".
Earlier on January 5th, the accountability judge Syed Najam-ul-Hasan approved their physical remand till January 19th.
The prosecutor had told the court that according to records of the Paragon Housing Society an amount of Rs2 billion was transfered to sons of Salman Rafique and Nafim Zia, and 20 plots were owned by the Khwaja brothers.
On December 11, they were detained by the accountability watchdog after the Lahore High Court 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.
Recent political scenario, and detention of many political leaders who are accused of corruption and embezzlement of funds, has pushed opposition parties to join hands, and consequently the top leaderships of both the PMLN and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have held a meeting in order to increase their strength and giving a tough time to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led federal government.
However, they have claimed that their alliance would not topple the government but would work better for “legislative purposes”.
