LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday summoned Federal Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique and his younger brother, Punjab Health Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique, in Paragon Housing Scheme ‘corruption’ case.

Sources claimed that Saad Rafique was asked to appear before the three-member investigation team on March 22 while Salman was summoned for March 26.

Earlier, Saad Rafique told the Supreme Court that he had no connection with the Paragon scheme.

Remand of Cheema, others extended for 14 days; journalists again disallowed in court

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had summoned the minister to explain his position about a common impression of his involvement in the housing project.

AHAD CHEEMA: An accountability court on Tuesday extended physical remand of Lahore Develop-ment Authority’s former head Ahad Khan Cheema and five others for 14 days in Ashiana-i-Iqbal scam.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials produced the suspects before the court amid tight security. Interestingly, the police deployed outside the courtroom once again stopped media persons from attending the proceedings. The officials claimed there was a direction from the presiding judge against the entry of journalists in the courtroom.

It is to be mentioned that accountability courts administration judge Syed Najam had previously directed the police officials to not restrict entry of media men during hearing of Cheema’s case. However, the police officials denied having knowledge of such direction when reporters tried to enter the courtroom for Tuesday’s hearing.

Insiders said the police stopped media access to the court proceedings at the behest of some bureaucrats who also used to visit the court to express solidarity with their arrested colleague (Cheema).

Meanwhile, the NAB prosecutor requested the court to extend physical remand of the suspects for another 15 days as investigation was yet to be completed.

Lawyers of the suspects opposed the request and stated that the NAB had been using delaying tactics just to prolong physical remand. They said the bureau had nothing to present against the suspects.

The court, however, allowed the NAB 14-day physical remand of Cheema, Shahid Shafiq of Bismillah Engineering, LDA chief engineer Israr Saeed, Bilal Qidwai, Imtiaz Hussain and Arif Butt.

The NAB alleged that Cheema awarded contract to Bismillah Engineering in return for 32 kanal land. It said eight kanal out of the total land was transferred to each Mr Cheema, his sister Saeeda Manzoor, his brother Ahmed Saeed Cheema and his cousin Asad Cheema.

The bureau also launched inquiry against Cheema about corruption in Punjab government’s famous laptop scheme for students.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2018