LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday disposed of three bail petitions of Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz and directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to provide 10 days to the petitioner to approach appropriate legal forum, in the light of a recent judgment by the Supreme Court, if his arrest warrants are issued.

Mr Hamza appeared before a two-judge bench along with his counsel Azam Nazir Tarar to plead the bail petitions. The opposition leader was already granted pre-arrest interim bail by the court.

The bureau’s lawyer told the bench that no arrest warrants had been issued so far in any of the three inquiries pending against the petitioner. He argued that the bail petitions in the absence of any arrest warrants were infructuous.

Advocate Tarar pointed out that the Supreme Court recently ruled in Ayaz Khan Niazi’s case that the NAB, after issuance of arrest warrants, should give 10 days to a person for approaching relevant court for bail.

The bench headed by Justice Tariq Abbasi observed that there was no need to keep the bail petitions pending with the court as the judgment of the apex court provided the petitioner an ample time to avail legal remedy in case of issue of arrest warrants.

The counsel said he would not press the petitions for further extension of bail if the NAB was ordered to comply with the SC judgment in the case of petitioner.

At this, the bench disposed of the petitions as withdrawn and directed the NAB to act in accordance with the judgment of the apex court if arrest warrants were issued for the petitioner.

Mr Hamza had filed bail petitions against his possible arrests in three inquiries pending against him with the NAB, in Punjab Saaf Pani Company, Ramzan Sugar Mills and assets beyond means cases.

The counsel had previously argued that the petitioner had been appearing before investigation teams of the NAB and provided them with all the required information and documents.

He said the NAB summoned a person in one case but made arrest in another case, citing the example of Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif’s arrest, who is also father of the petitioner.

The counsel said there were serious apprehensions that the NAB might arrest the petitioner too at the time of his appearance for inquiry.

The bench had allowed the bail to Mr Hamza subject to furnishing two surety bonds of Rs1000,000 each.

BAIL GRANTED: The bench granted post-arrest bail to Pak-Arab Housing Society owner Ammar Gulzar in a NAB corruption reference subject to two surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.

Mr Gulzar, a former senator and also son of late PPP senator Gulzar Ahmad, was accused of defrauding public at large by selling files of his society more than the available plots.

The NAB alleged that Mr Gulzar collected Rs10 billion from people who purchased files of Pak-Arab Society Phase-II, which was not approved by the Lahore Development Authority.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2018