LHC approves Khawaja Saad Rafique and Salman Rafique’s request for bail

A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi approved Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique’s request for protective bail on Monday.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Oct 11 had turned down petitions filed by the senior PML-N leader and his brother seeking protective bail and legal protection against alleged harassment by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The bench had asked why Khawaja Saad had not approached the LHC which was the appropriate forum for him to seek protective bail.

Khawaja Saad’s lawyer expressed fear that his client would be arrested if returns to Lahore.

“We have reached here after a lot of difficulty,” he added, suggesting that the ex-minister would approach LHC once he had been granted protective bail by the IHC.

After the IHC’s rejection of their request for protection bail, the two brothers went to the LHC.

On Monday, the LHC told NAB not to make an arrest until Oct 24 and issued a notice to the bureau asking for a reply in the matter.

Justice Najafi said that there was a case against Khwaja Saad Rafique in NAB, to which his lawyer said that there was ongoing inquiry relating to the Paragon City.

NAB had summoned the brothers on Oct 16, who submitted their request for protective bail to the LHC through lawyer Amjad Pervez.

The court asked each of the brothers to submit Rs500,000 in surety bonds.

“NAB calls people for an inquiry and arrests them in their office,” Pervez remarked during Monday’s hearing.

In the request, the brothers asked for protective bail and bail before arrest warrants were issued.

The petition also asked for details relating to the arrest warrant to be provided.

The request stated that whatever records NAB had asked for had been provided to them and the petitioners were worried that they would be arrested by the bureau.

According to the request, the brothers felt that NAB could make the arrest on an unconstitutional basis and should be stopped from making a potential arrest.

It added that they were cooperating with the bureau.

Source: Dawn News