LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Saad Rafique criticised the government on Monday for staging a “drama” in the name of accountability, which he said was rather aimed at “exacting revenge” on political opponents.
“This is not the first time that a drama is being staged to exact revenge in the name of accountability,” the PML-N lawmaker said while speaking to reporters after his court appearance. “Each time a dictator came, the same thing was done.”
A “civil dictator” was doing the same thing in the country today, Saad said, without naming anyone but in a clear reference to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said issuing production orders [of under custody lawmakers] was not charity.
“You should [issue] these production orders. If you don’t do this, then you deprive us of the right to represent our constituencies,” the lawmaker said.
“And if you are to do the same then what is the point of staging the election drama. Shut down the assemblies!”
Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique were presented on Monday before an accountability court hearing the Paragon Housing Society case filed against them by the National Accountability Bureau.
The Rafique brothers were arrested on December 11 after the Lahore High Court did not extend their interim bail in the case. The former federal minister is accused of misusing his authority and causing billions of rupees loss to the country.
According to NAB, Saad Rafique colluded with his wife, brother, Qaiser Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia to form Paragon Housing Society. The housing project was unapproved, according to the Lahore Development Authority.
The Rafique brothers were indicted in the case on September 4. However, they both denied the charges against them.
During the hearing on Monday, the defence counsel presented arguments against their indictment. He contended that if there was anything wrong in Paragon Housing Society, then a case should have been registered under the Companies Act.
The NAB prosecutor said that under the Companies Act, the anti-graft body had not been restricted from investigating frauds.
The prosecutor also said that according to a Supreme Court verdict, the jurisdiction of the trial court could not be challenged after the indictment of the accused.
The court directed the prosecution and the defence to finalise their arguments at the next hearing and adjourned the proceedings until September 28.
