LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) transmit remand of Jang group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman to attend funeral of his elder brother in Karachi.

Mr Rehman, at present, is on physical remand with the NAB following his arrest in a case of 54-kanal land allegedly allotted to him by then Punjab chief minister Nawaz Sharif in 1986.

Advocate Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry appeared on behalf of Mr Rehman before the court and stated that elder brother of the petitioner namely Mir Javaidur Rehman passed away in Karachi.

He said funeral and burial of the deceased will be held in Karachi as well. Therefore he said the petitioner needed to go to Karachi to attend the last rituals of his brother.

Asked if the NAB had any objection to the application, a special prosecutor told the court that the bureau had no objection keeping in view justice and humanitarian ground.

Presiding Judge Jawadul Hassan allowed the application and observed that the NAB authorities will take all measures for the travel of the petitioner/suspect at their own risk and cost.

The judge also directed the NAB to produce the suspect without fail in the court on April 7 when his existing physical remand will expire.

A Lahore High Court two-judge bench is likely to hear and decide on April 2 two identical petitions against the arrest and remand of Mr Rehman in the case.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2020