JIT gets go-ahead to grill Nawaz Sharif in Model Town case

DSP Iqbal files a plea seeking accountability court's permission to interrogate PML-N leader in Kot Lakhpat jail

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Thursday granted permission to Punjab police to record statement of incarcerated former prime minister Nawaz Sharif  in Model Town case.

Judge Arshad Malik conducted hearing on a plea filed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Muhammad Iqbal seeking court permission to interrogate the three-time premier in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail where he is serving a seven-year imprisonment in Al-Azizia reference .

However, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Mirza Usman opposed the request and pleaded that the accountability court was not the proper forum to seek such permission.



The prosecutor pleaded that the petitioner should approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in this regard.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Arshad allowed the police to meet Nawaz in the Lahore jail.

The Supreme Court had ordered the formation of a new joint investigation team (JIT) to unearth the facts that led to the killing of 14 supporters of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) in a police action in Lahore on June 17, 2014.

On March 7, the newly-formed JIT had summoned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and party leaders Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Asif and Pervaiz Rasheed to record their statements.