Lahore (Staff Report): An accountability court on Thursday extended judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique till May 2 in Paragon Housing Society scam case.
The PML-N lawmakers were presented before the court amid tight security as their judicial remand ended today. The court granted a 14-day extension in Khawaja brothers’ judicial remand and ordered to present them on May 2.
Talking to newsmen outside the court premises, Saad Rafique condemned the PTI government and asked to stop subjecting the opposition politicians to political vendetta.
“It is up to institutions to conduct accountability. The government should focus on the country’s economy and development,” he said, adding the government just wanted to gag opponents’ voice.
On December 11, 2018, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Pakistan Railways former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique after the Lahore High Court (LHC) turned down their plea seeking extension in interim bail in a case regarding Paragon Housing Society scandal.
NAB Lahore had issued a press release after the arrest stating that “accused Saad Rafique along with his benamidaar wife Ghazala Saad Rafique, brother Salman Rafique in association with Qaiser Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia established a housing project in the name of Air Avenue which was converted into a new housing project namely M/S Paragon City Pvt Limited. Record shows that M/S Paragon City is an illegal society.”
“Accused has been and is continuously obtaining illegal/ illegitimate funds/ benefits from said project as he obtained 40 kanal plots in his own name and the name of his brother Salman Rafique,” the bureau said.