Ashiana-i-Iqbal reference: LHC orders AC to conclude trial in 4 months

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ordered an accountability court to conclude within four months the trial of the Punjab Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme reference involving Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, former director general of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Khan Cheema and others.

A detailed order by a two-judge bench passed on bail petitions of two suspects Cheema and Shahid Shafiq holds that material available on record connects the petitioners with commission of the alleged offence, therefore, they do not deserve to be released on bail. In this case, the LHC had on Feb 14, 2019 granted post-arrest bail to Shahbaz Sharif and former principal secretary to prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad. The bench comprising Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider, through a short order on April 13, had denied post-arrest bail to Cheema and Shafiq in the Ashiana reference.

The bench in its detailed 16-page order observed that the case is related to white collar crimes which are usually committed in a planned manner by well-organized persons. The order stated that in such cases, documents are generated prior to or during the commission of that offence which is essential and normally make up the major part of evidence. “The record suggested that they (Cheema and Shafiq) facilitated each other to obtain pecuniary advantage within the meaning of Section 9 of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999,” maintained the bench. The order said it is imperative for a suspect to show that he has no nexus with crime even if material collected by prosecution is tentatively taken as correct.