LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in a reference into a 34-year-old land allotment transaction also involving Jang group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman.

At the outset of the hearing, Presiding Judge Asad Ali asked the prosecution about the service of the court’s summons to Mr Sharif.

A police official stated that the summons had been pasted outside the Model Town and Jati Umra residences of the suspect.

A NAB prosecutor said the former premier was out of the country for the last six months. He asked the court to issue non-bailable warrants for the arrest of Mr Sharif.

The judge issued the arrest warrants of Mr Sharif for Sept 17 and also directed the ministry of foreign affairs to ensure the service of the summons to the suspect through Pakistan High Commission in London.

The judge also extended judicial remand of Mir Shakilur Rehman till the next date of hearing.

The jail authorities did not produce Mr Rehman before the court due to Covid-19 pandemic SOPs. Mr Rehman had been admitted to a hospital on medical grounds with the court’s permission.

Previously, the judge had twice issued bailable arrest warrants of Nawaz Sharif for his constant non-appearance before the court.

The NAB in its reference alleged that Rehman illegally obtained exemption of 54 plots each measuring one-kanal situated in Block-H, Johar Town.

It alleged that the allotment of the land had been made in connivance with then chief minister Nawaz Sharif against the exemption policy and the laws for monetary gains. It said the suspects caused a loss of Rs143.53 million to the national exchequer through allotment of the land in violation of exemption policy.

In this case, the NAB had arrested Rehman while Mr Sharif had been declared absconder for his continuous non-appearance before the investigation team. The other two suspects, former officials of the LDA, were not arrested by the NAB but interrogated only.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2020