Court seeks MNA’s case record in land scam

PML-N lawmaker's counsel alleges arrest by Punjab ACE politically motivated

LAHORE:

An anti-corruption court on Monday sought record of case from Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) by January 4 on bail application of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf in an alleged land grabbing case.

Anti-Corruption Court Judge Khalid Mehmood Bhatti heard the post-arrest bail application of MNA Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf.

The petitioner's counsel argued before the court that the ACE arrested his client in a politically motivated and bogus case.

He submitted that the court had sent his client to jail on judicial remand after completion of the investigations and pleaded the court to grant the benefit of bail to his client as he was no longer required for investigations.

The ACE's prosecutor sought time, saying that the prosecutor general himself wanted to advance arguments in the matter. However, the petitioner's counsel raised an objection to the plea and submitted that the prosecutor wanted to linger the matter.

The court, after hearing arguments, sought record of the case from ACE by January 4 and adjourned further hearing.

Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf was elected Member of National Assembly (MNA) from NA-161 (Sahiwal-II) constituency. The ACE has accused the lawmaker of illegally occupying government land through forgery in collusion with a patwari.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2023.