Court adjourns Paragon Housing scandal case till Dec 2

Defence counsels will appear before court on next hearing

ISLAMABAD:

An accountability court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of the Paragon Housing Society scandal case till December 02.

Former railway minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique, the former provincial minister, appeared before the court.

The court asked the Khawaja brothers to submit the power of attorney of their counsels in the case and start the trial of the witnesses. The court also expressed annoyance.

On the occasion, Saad said that Amjad Pervaiz will appear before the court as his defence counsel and Aosaf Ashtar as the counsel for Khawaja Salman. The former railway minister also tendered an apology.

The court adjourned the hearing till December 02.

Talking to reporters after hearing of the case, Saad said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif should stay abroad as there were many examples in the history that the leaders while staying in exile have defended their ideology.

“In an environment of conspiracy and injustice, it is not feasible for his [Sharif] safety to return to Pakistan,” Saad said, adding that Sharif was still undergoing treatment.

The PML-N leader asked PM Imran Khan to go home as the latter had “lost popularity”. “People no more liked him [Imran]. Everyone knew the way he came to power,” Saad added.

Saad alleged that the economic meltdown and respective worsening socio-economic conditions of people were reasons behind the premier losing popularity. The government had not bothered about improving the lives of common people, he alleged, adding that the (government) had been focused on pressing the opposition.

“Anti-corruption body and the Federal Investigation Agency have been harassing and making fake cases against even the leaders at the level of MNA and MPA too,” Saad said, claiming that the coronavirus was just an excuse, the economic condition of Pakistan under the PTI government had nosedived even before the contagion.

He said the PML-N would continue its political activity as other activities were going on, however, the opposition would follow SOPs, use of sanitisers, masks and distance during their rallies.