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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Ex-parking company head granted pre-arrest bail

By Our Correspondent
May 25, 2018

LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court Thursday barred National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from arresting former MPA and ex-head of Lahore Parking Company (LPC) Hafiz Mian Nauman and allowed him interim pre-arrest bail.

The petitioner’s counsel contended that his client was elected as MPA in 2008 and later given an honorary position of Lahore Parking Company’s chairman. He said Nauman being chairman of the company never withdrew any emolument and used to attend its board’s meetings on ceremonial basis. He pointed out that the petitioner had resigned from the chairmanship of the LPC on December 30, 2016. The counsel argued that the company lawfully awarded contracts of parking lots in transparent manner and strictly observed procurement rules. He said the NAB initiated an unlawful inquiry into the parking contracts issued by the company.

The counsel said his client was an old-aged person and a patient of diabetes, however, ready to face any lawful proceedings. He asked the court to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioner as the NAB was likely to arrest him on false allegations. The bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi allowed pre-arrest bail to Nauman until May 29 and restrained the NAB from arresting him until next hearing. It also sought a reply from the bureau on the bail petition.

Hashmi bailed in graft case: The Lahore High Court on Thursday granted bail to Asif Hashmi, a PPP leader and former chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), in corruption references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Hashmi’s counsel told a division bench that his client was arrested for alleged involvement in the corruption cases but nothing had been produced against him by the bureau. He said the NAB completed its investigation and the petitioner being on judicial remand was no more required for any investigation. He said there was no justification to keep the petitioner behind the bars. Therefore, he asked the bench to release the petitioner on bail as he was ready to submit surety bonds.

After hearing the arguments, the bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi allowed the bail petition. The NAB had arrested Hashmi on his return to country from UAE last month. Hashmi served as the ETPB chairman between 2007 and 2013. He was accused of misusing his authority and misappropriation of public funds.

The bureau also accused him of selling 1,946 kanal land of the board to DHA on a throwaway price. In another reference, it accused him of making illegal investment worth Rs1.870 billion with a private company that caused a huge loss to the national exchequer.