No corruption found in Pakistan Railways audit report, Saad Rafique’s lawyers tell SC

Former Railways Minister and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Saad Rafique submitted on Wednesday his reply to the Supreme Court (SC) regarding monetary losses the Pakistan Railways suffered during his tenure in the ministry.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar, took up the case at the SC's Lahore Registry. The PML-N leader, who has been in National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) custody since early December in another case, was presented before the top court today.

During the hearing, Rafique's counsel presented the audit report of the ministry and said that no corruption or irregularities had shown up in the audit report. The CJP asked if there were losses to which the counsel replied that there were no losses, however, for the past 65 years, a deficit has carried on.

Speaking to the bench, Rafique said that he should be appreciated as during his tenure the ministry itself had paid Rs21million to the pensioners. He added that while, before his term, the federal government had paid Rs58million in pensions to railways employees.

The CJP replied that Rafique would get his appreciation when the matter was resolved. The SC then asked the auditor general and federal government to present their replies to Rafique's response.