Paragon Housing case: Court rejects acquittal pleas of Khawaja brothers

An accountability court rejected on Wednesday the acquittal pleas of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique in the Paragon Housing Society case.

The lawyer of the brothers had argued that a private company’s case falls under the jurisdiction of the SECP, not NAB.

He had said that neither is NAB authorised to investigate the case nor does the court have the right to hear it as the bureau’s chairperson didn’t give his opinion in the reference as per law. They claim that Paragon is a private company.

NAB’s prosecutor-general had said that the brothers had already been indicted in the case, which could not be changed through a request.

The brothers have been accused of misusing their authority and causing a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. According to NAB, Saad Rafique colluded with his brother, and Qaiser Amin Butt among three others to form the Paragon City housing society. The Lahore Development Authority says the housing project was unapproved.

Witnesses have been summoned to present their testimonies against the duo in the next hearing. The judicial remand of the brothers has been extended till October 30.

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Article source: https://www.samaa.tv/news/2019/10/paragon-housing-case-court-rejects-acquittal-pleas-of-khawaja-brothers/