LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of former chief minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar in an inquiry launched by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against him and others on charges of misuse of authority and corruption in the award of a liquor licence to a hotel.

Buzdar appeared before the court along with his counsel Barrister Momin Malik.

Asked whether the NAB required custody of Buzdar, a special prosecutor told the court that warrants for the arrest of the petitioner had not been issued.

The court adjourned further hearing till Dec 5 and directed the petitioner’s counsel to come up with his arguments.

Earlier, the counsel argued that the petitioner had apprehension of his arrest due to mala fide of the NAB in the inquiry against the officials of the Punjab excise and taxation department, the management of M/s Unicorn Prestige Ltd and others.

He stated that there was not an iota of evidence on record to suggest that the petitioner derived any illegal pecuniary advantage of benefit in any manner whatsoever. He said no offence was made out against the petitioner for want of arrest under any provision of the NAO 1999.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2022