LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday adjourned hearing of the money laundering and illegal assets reference against Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif as the defence counsel completed crossexamination of two prosecution witnesses.

The jail officials presented Shehbaz and his son, Hamza, before the court.

PML-N workers gathered outside the judicial complex to welcome their leaders while the police blocked the roads for security reasons.

During the hearing, Shehbaz talked about a recent report of the Transparency International that showed an increase in the corruption in Pakistan during the tenure of PTI government.

A prosecutor raised an objection and said politics should not be discussed in the court.

Presiding Judge Jawadul Hassan also advised Shehbaz against using the hearing for political statements.

Shehbaz also thanked the court for issuing an order to the authorities to conduct his medical examination. However, he said the jail officials had been delaying his medical tests.

The judge adjourned hearing till Feb 10 and directed the prosecution to present more witnesses for crossexamination.

PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb and other party leaders also visited the judicial complex to meet Shehbaz.

NOTICE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Tuesday sought a reply from the NAB on a petition by former director general of the Lahore Development Authority Ahad Khan Cheema against inclusion of one same offence in two different references against him.

The bench comprising Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Asjad Javed Ghural heard initial arguments of Advocate Abuzar Salman Khan Niazi, the counsel for Cheema, and issued a notice to the NAB for its reply on Feb 22.

The counsel said the NAB included a land measuring 99 kanal and 17 marlas situated in Mauza Tehra, Lahore Cantonment, as ill-gotten property in two references – Punjab Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme and assets beyond means pending adjudication against the petitioner.

He said an application on the matter was filed with the accountability court holding trial in the references but it dismissed the same. He argued that the act of the prosecution was illegal and in violation of his fundamental rights under Article 13 of the Constitution, which gives protection against double punishment.

He asked the court to set aside the impugned order passed by the trial court and the offence related to the same property be amended in the references.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2021