LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday dismissed the acquittal applications of Jang group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman and two others in a reference of 34-year-old illegal land allotment.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) alleged that Rehman illegally obtained exemption of 54 plots each measuring one-kanal situated in Block-H, Johar Town. It said the allotment of the land had been made in connivance with then chief minister Nawaz Sharif against the exemption policy and the laws for monetary gains. It alleged that the suspects caused a loss of Rs143.53 million to the national exchequer through allotment of the land in violation of exemption policy.

Other two suspects - former director general of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Humayun Faiz Rasool and ex-director of land development department Mian Bashir Ahmad - appeared before the court. Nawaz Sharif had been declared an absconder for not joining the court proceedings.

The suspects through their counsel argued that the prosecution story was false, frivolous and without any incriminating evidence. They asked the court to allow their applications for acquittal under section 265-K of CrPC and acquit them of the charges.

NAB special prosecutor Harris Qureshi opposed the applications and stated that strong evidence was available on record to establish the offences of corruption against the suspects. He argued that the suspects filed the acquittal applications at a premature stage as material evidence were yet to be examined by the trial court.

Presiding Judge Asad Ali dismissed the applications for being premature. The judge observed that the prosecution should be given fair opportunity to produce its material.

The judge directed the prosecution to present its witnesses on Sept 22.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2021