LHC asks NAB to submit clause-wise response in the plea against MSR’s arrest
Statesman Report
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court asked the National Accountability Bureau on Thursday to submit clause-wise response in the plea against the arrest of Jang Geo Media Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman in relation to a fake private property case.
MSR's wife, Shahina Shakil, had moved the LHC on March 16 through Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan challenging the detention.
A two-member bench under Justice Naeem Ahmed resumed the hearing in the case Thursday, where Barrister Ahsan appeared to present the arguments.
In the hearing, the court asked the NAB to present reasons behind the arrest, clause by clause, in reference to the plea.
Aitezaz Ahsan informed the court that NAB violated its policy by arresting MSR. He added that NAB had itself decided not to summon businessmen.
To this, the court interjected and asked the counsel whether MSR was a businessman. It also asked if a journalist can be considered as a businessman.
Ahsan told the court that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is a businessman and is running a very large group. He added that a constitutional petition for the release of MSR has also been filed with the court, adding that his client is under illegal detention.
The prosecutor informed the court that the case was at an inquiry stage and the bureau got his remand on Wednesday.
The court asked NAB’s lawyer to submit a copy of the remand.
LHC clubs petition against extension in remand
During the proceedings, the judge enquired about the extension of MSR’s remand by an accountability court on Wednesday.
“If the accountability court in the case has extended the remand then what is left?” the court said to the NAB prosecutor.
To which, the prosecutor responded that the plea against the extension in remand is also queued up to be heard.
The LHC then said that it is also going to hear the plea against the extension today, after which it briefly adjourned the hearing for a while.
After resuming the hearing, the LHC directed that the remand order by the accountability court should be clubbed with the petition against the arrest.
The High Court, subsequently, adjourned the case until next Monday.