LAHORE: A judicial magistrate at Model Town courts on Wednesday granted post-arrest bail to PML-N MNA Afzal Khokhar in a case of grabbing land of an overseas Pakistani.

The Nawab Town police had arrested Khokhar the other day at the Supreme Court following registration of an FIR against him under Section 448 of Pakistan Penal Code.

The police produced Khokhar before the magistrate while his counsel requested the court to release the MNA on bail as the offence mentioned in the FIR was bailable.

The magistrate accepted the request and granted bail to Khokhar subject to surety bonds amounting to Rs100,000.

Complainant Ali Zafar, who is presently living in London, alleged in the FIR that he had purchased a piece of 1.5 kanal land 20 years back. He said the MNA occupied his land when he was out of the country. He said the suspect constructed Khokhar Palace on the [grabbed] land. He said he came to know about the court’s proceedings against the Khokhars and filed an application with the police.

Afzal Khokhar along with his brothers MPA Saiful Malook Khokhar and Shafi Khokhar had appeared before the Supreme Court to attend proceedings of a suo motu notice taken by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar against illegal occupation on the properties of widows, orphans and overseas Pakistani by the Khokhars.

The anti-corruption establishment and the FIA will file reports to the chief justice after holding a detailed probe into properties of the Khokhars and their financial affairs.

In compliance with the apex court’s order, the district government also demolished illegal structure of the Khokhar Palace in Johar Town.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2018