An accountability court (AC) in Lahore on Friday rejected the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) request for extension in physical remand of senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif in assets beyond means case, and sent him to jail on judicial remand instead, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The court also directed the NAB to produce the PML-N leader in court on February 4.

NAB Prosecutor Asim Mumtaz told Judge Jawadul Hassan that notice had been issued to the owner of the company in Dubai where Asif had worked in order to ascertain as to in which account PML-N leader’s salary was transferred.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXqLpcjLKtA

He further said that Rs100 million had been transferred to the account of Tariq Mir Company at a time when the PML-N leader had no business. “Those who deposited money in his account have told NAB that these amounts had been given to them by Asif himself,” the prosecutor disclosed.

He said the Bureau only wanted to know the sources of that money.

Mumtaz further told the court that when asked, Tariq Mir had said that he was a servant of Asif, and that the company was owned by the PML-N leader.

The NAB prosecutor revealed that Tariq had been shown as the owner of 50 per cent shares in the firm.

Counsel for Khawaja Asif said he had appeared in the court 20 to 30 times, both in Rawalpindi and Lahore, and had submitted all the required documents.

He prayed to the court to turn down NAB’s request for extension in physical remand of the PML-N leader.

The National Accountability Bureau had arrested Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader in assets beyond means case on December 29, 2020.

According to the details, the senior leader of PML-N was arrested in Iqama case.

PML-N spokesperson confirmed the news and said that Asif was arrested from the residence of party leader Ahsan Iqbal in Islamabad.

NAB sources said that Khawaja Asif had failed to satisfy the anti-graft body about his assets worth Rs220 million.

NAB informed National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser about the development.