NAB reply sought on Hafiz Nauman bail plea

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Wednesday sought a reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a bail petition moved by former head of Lahore Parking Company (LPC) Hafiz Mian Nauman facing charges of misappropriation in the company’s funds.

The NAB said Nauman, also a former MPA of PML-N, was the first chairman of the parking company when it was established in 2013. It alleged that Nauman and other suspects were guilty of causing a loss of over Rs1 billion to the national exchequer. The petitioner is in jail on judicial remand as directed by an accountability court.

During the bail proceedings, petitioner’ counsel Asad Manzoor Butt argued that his client was elected MPA in 2013 and later given an honorary position of the Lahore Parking Company’s chairman. He said the petitioner being chairman of the company never withdrew any emolument and used to attend its board meetings on ceremonial basis only. He said 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 a transparent manner and strictly observed procurement rules. He questioned the NAB inquiry into the parking contracts. Asking the court to release the petitioner on bail, the counsel stated that his client was an old aged person and his health was not good too. Moreover, he said keeping the petitioner behind the bars would serve no purpose as the NAB had already completed its investigation.