LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday extended interim pre-arrest bail of Kamran Kiyani, a brother former army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani, and Nadeem Zia, one of the owners of Paragon City, in a corruption reference of the Punjab Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme.

Earlier, Advocate Amjad Parvez, who represents Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, told the court that suspects Kiyani and Zia recently joined the investigation before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).He said the trial proceedings should not be disturbed due to the late joining of the two suspects. He said the NAB could exonerate the suspects in investigation or file a separate reference against them.

He said cross-examination of many prosecution witnesses had already been conducted. Presiding Judge Sajid Ali Awan adjourned further hearing till Oct 15 and also extended bail of the suspects.

Advocate Anwaar Hussain attended the hearing being the leader of PM Shehbaz as he had been granted a permanent exemption from personal appearance in the trial proceedings. Former DG of the LDA Ahad Khan Cheema, also an accused, attended the hearing. The NAB alleged that Shehbaz and other accused persons caused a huge loss to national exchequer by awarding the contract of the housing scheme to a company without bidding.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2022