Court adjourns hearing of Ashiana case till Feb 11

LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday adjourned hearing of Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing scheme case till February 11.

Accountability Court Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry conducted the case proceedings, wherein jail authorities produced Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, former Lahore Development Authority director general Ahad Cheema and other accused at the start of hearing.

After marking attendance by the court's staff, Shehbaz Sharif sought permission from the court to leave, saying that he was not feeling well.

At this, the court observed that if he had been on bail then it would have been a separate issue.Since you are in judicial custody, this facility can not be granted as it is a legal requirement to record statements of the witnesses in your presence, it added.

However, Shehbaz's counsel submitted that his client's presence was not necessary.as witnesses present in the court were not related to his client.

To this, the court questioned if ten accused adopt the same stance then whether they could be allowed to leave.

Subsequently, the court recorded statements of two witnesses, Mughir Ahmad and Rizwan Haider, and adjourned further hearing till February 11. The court also summoned counsel for parties for cross examination of witnesses on the next date of hearing.

The court had indicted 10 accused including Shehbaz Sharif in the case, The NAB in the reference alleged that Shehbaz Sharif being the chief minister of Punjab misused his authority by unlawfully assuming powers of Board of Directors of PLDC.

It said he in connivance with his co-suspects awarded a contract to an ineligible proxy firm that resulted in failure of Ashiana housing scheme causing a loss to public exchequer and deprived 61,000 applicants of houses.