The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday resumed hearing a petition against the arrest of Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakilur Rahman, with the latter’s counsel, Barrister Chauhdry Aitzaz Ahsan, completing his arguments in relation to the ongoing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation of a 34-year-old property case against his client.
A two-member bench of the court has been hearing the petition, which pertains to the arrest and extension in remand of Pakistan’s largest media group’s most senior editor.
During his arguments, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan told the LHC that his client’s arrest was made prematurely. “The arrest came at the inquiry phase of the complaint [against my client], which is illegal,” argued the lawyer.
He said that the entire case could be resolved with the relevant documents and that all records are present with the Lahore Development Authority. “[Instead,] for 20 years, NAB did nothing,” Ahsan noted.
“This case does not fall under NAB’s jurisdiction,” Ahsan further argued. Ahsan further pleaded that his client is of old age and should be released on bail.
In relation to the court’s previous orders, Special Prosecutor Syed Faisal Raza Bukhari submitted NAB’s response to the LHC’s questions.
The court subsequently ordered NAB to submit fresh responses and adjourned the hearing until April 7.
