Kh Saad, Salman Rafiq bailed out: NAB incompetent or ill-intentioned, says Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Tuesday granted bail to PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique in the Paragon Housing corruption reference. A two-member bench, headed by Justice Maqbool Baqir, allowed the appeal filed by the two brothers against two surety bonds of Rs3 million each.

“The appeals are allowed subject to surety bonds of Rs3 million each for the satisfaction of the trial court,” the court announced after hearing the two sides.

The PML-N top leadership, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah, Raja Zafarul Haq and Khawaja Asif, were also present in the courtroom.

Last year in June, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had dismissed their bail applications. They were arrested by the NAB from the court premises in December after their request for extension in their pre-arrest bail was rejected.

On Tuesday, the apex court observed that the petitioners had cooperated with the NAB during the trial and recorded their statements seeking no adjournment. Justice Maqbool Baqir observed that the NAB had not yet a clear evidence in the instant case.

“Give us substantial material which could support your stance for refusing the bail,” Justice Maqbool Baqir asked Jehanzeb Bharwana, Special Prosecutor NAB.

“At least you should give us one good reason which may support your stance,” Justice Baqir further asked the special prosecutor. “There’s no violation of plan viz a viz the Shamilaat plan. I am noting it,” Justice Baqir remarked.

The judge asked if the petitioners’ accounts had received the money and they had admitted it too, then what the illegality was. “Either the NAB has no intention or it is incompetent to discharge its obligation. Both the phases are critical we are passing through,” Justice Maqbool Baqir remarked.

Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Abbasi asked if the NAB could compensate Saad Rafique for the wastage of time he had spent in jail. He asked the chairman NAB to immediately step down.

He said they had repeatedly demanded closure of the NAB for smooth functioning of the country as the department was being used for pressurizing politicians.