Hamza gets bail in Saaf Pani case

Lawyer requests court to adjourn case because one of the counsels was abroad

LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) headed by Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi extended pre-arrest bail of Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz Sharif in two cases being probed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Meanwhile, the bench also disposed of Hamza’s bail in Saaf Pani case after NAB’s prosecutor told the court that Hamza’s arrest was not required in Saaf Pani case.

As the proceedings commenced, Justice Naqvi asked Hamza’s lawyer was accused Hamza present in the court room on which Hamza’s lawyer Azam Nazir Tarar told the court that Hamza was present in the court room.

Justice Naqvi asked why a person should not be arrested in NAB’s case. Hamza’s lawyer requested the court to adjourn the case because one of the counsels Salman Aslam Butt was abroad.

Hamza’s counsel said there were three lawyers in three different cases, however, the judge remarked that all three cases were filed by lawyer Amjad Pervez.

As Advocate Tarar started arguments on Saaf Pani case, the additional prosecutor general NAB told the court that no warrant had been issued of the accused in Saaf Pani. Hamza’s counsel told the NAB prosecutor to give the statements in court that Hamza’s arrest was not required in this case. At which NAB’s prosecutor told the court that NAB has no plan to arrest Hamza in Saaf Pani case.

The judge said NAB should have sent more competent people to present the case properly. “It seems no one from the NAB representatives have read the case file properly.

The court extended the bail by June 11. The petitioner Hamza in his bail petition sought the indulgence of court for safeguarding his right to live, liberty and honour contending the issuance of the warrant of arrest by the NAB would be a violation of the statutory provisions.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2019.