LHC fixes bail petition of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for 11th

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Registrar's Office has fixed the bail petition of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman in a 34-year old property case for June 11.

On the last hearing, a bench comprising Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider had heard the bail petition and sought a reply from the NAB by May 28. Meanwhile, the bench dissolved due to transfer of Justice Naeem to Rawalpindi seat of the high court and Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman's bail petition was not taken up on May 28. As per the new roster of sitting judges, a division bench comprising Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi and Justice Farooq Haider was formed to hear NAB-related cases. It will take up Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman's bail petition on June 11.

The NAB had arrested Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on March 12 when he made his second appearance before its investigation team. He was sent to jail on judicial remand on April 28 by an accountability court. The bureau alleged that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman illegally obtained exemption of 54 plots each measuring one Kanal situated in Block-H, Johar Town.

Meanwhile, the cause list of the Lahore High Court division bench, constituted to hear petitions related to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), has been canceled for the next week commencing from June 8.

The bench comprises Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi and Justice Farooq Haider who will not be available during the next week as he has gone on leave.

The bench was scheduled to hear several bail petitions by suspects in NAB cases during the next week including that of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on June 11.

Now the bench will be available from June 15. For the week commencing from June 8, six division benches and 24 single benches will perform judicial work at the principal seat.