NAB expert says signatures of co-accused do not match. PHOTO: FILE
Judge Muhammad Bashir presided over the hearing, during which the forensic expert said the signatures of the co-accused in seven bank accounts have been found to be suspicious.
Two suspects, Saeed Ahmed and Mansoor Rizvi, appeared in court, while the third suspect, Naeem Ahmed, did not.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented its forensic expert as a witness in the case to record his statement.
Witness Muhammad Naseem, in his statement, said that suspect Saeed Ahmed’s signatures were found to be fake in seven bank accounts. He said that the signatures on the bank accounts do not bear similarity to the signatures of Saeed Ahmed.
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Another witness Muhammad Aftab, who is an employee of a private bank, also recoded his statement. Muhammad Aftab submitted documents of two bank accounts of the co-accused Saeed Ahmed in the court. Co-accused Saeed Ahmed declared he had no links with the accounts. The court summoned three additional witnesses, postponing the hearing till January 23.
Paragon Housing case
The NAB presented PML-N lawmaker Khawaja Saad Rafique in an accountability court in the capital in front of Judge Muhammad Bashir and requested for a five-day transit remand.
The former railways minister, who is currently in NAB custody in connection with the Paragon Housing case, was brought to Islamabad after the National Assembly issued his production order so he could participate in the lower house session. For this purpose, transit remand was availed from Lahore’s accountability court, which was due to end on January 16.
Upon the court’s inquiry as to how long will the national assembly session last, it was informed that it may continue for many days. The court was told that, if the need arises, the suspect will be presented once again to request for additional transit remand. The court accepted Rafique’s transit remand till January 21.
Following court appearance, Rafique, in an informal conversation with journalists, said there was an urgent need to review the system of accountability, and that the government was using it for political gains.
On a question regarding the opposition alliance, he said the credit for that goes to the childish and puerile policies of the prime minister. He said that Imran Khan’s ‘non-serious government’ was unable to run the country, and it united the opposition as the situation required.
He also dismissed suggestions that coalition was formed to protect those facing probes and investigation.
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