LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday told an accountability court that the copies of a proclamation to formally declare former prime minister Nawaz Sharif an absconder had been pasted at his residences in Raiwind and Model Town in Lahore, however, no one received the same at his London address.

NAB Special Prosecutor Haris Qureshi submitted a sealed report of the foreign office with the court, saying a receptionist at the London residence of the suspect (ex-premier) on Oct 9 refused to receive the proclamation issued under section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The proclamation issued on Oct 1 required Mr Sharif to attend the proceedings against him in a land allotment reference within 30 days, otherwise, he would be declared an absconder and trial would be held against him in absentia.

Presiding Judge Asad Ali adjourned further hearing of the reference till Nov 10.

Jang group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman, LDA’s former director general Humayon Faiz Rasool and director land Mian Bashir Ahmad are also suspects in the reference.

The NAB alleged that the allotment of the land had been made in connivance with the then chief minister Nawaz Sharif against the exemption policy and the laws for monetary gains.

It said the suspects allegedly caused a loss of Rs143.53 million to the national exchequer through the land allotment in violation of exemption policy.

In this case, the NAB had arrested Mr Rehman, while the former officials of the LDA were interrogated without arrest.

UNIVERSITY: A provincial government law officer on Thursday presented before the Lahore High Court a photocopy of a summary sent by the chief minister to the chancellor for the appointment of the vice chancellor of University of Agriculture Faisalabad in the light of a judgment.

The law officer also assured the court that a notification to this effect shall be issued within a day.

Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi directed the law officer to present an original copy of the summary on Friday and also the notification if it was issued.

The judge was hearing a petition by Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan seeking contempt proceedings against Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and others for defying a judgment.

Previously, the judge had the chief minister and other government functionaries of serious consequences for purposely delaying implementation of the judgment about appointment of the petitioner as vice chancellor.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2020