LHC dismisses Mir Shakil's bail petition in plots allotment case.

LAHORE -- The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday dismissed a bail petition filed by Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman in illegal plot allotment case. The bench comprising Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider heard the post-arrest bail petition filed by Mir Shakil. At the start of proceedings, defence counsel Advocate Amjad Pervaiz resumed his arguments and submitted that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed reference against his client and the same had been made a part of record in present proceedings. He submitted that the bureau had alleged that Mir Shakil caused Rs 143 million loss to national exchequer and obtained illegal exemption of 54 plots of one kanal in Johar Town Lahore.

The counsel claimed that his client had been arrested in a baseless case while rejecting all allegations levelled against him in the reference. He submitted that Mir Shakil obtained exemption in accordance with law in 1986 after due process and no body questioned the same till 2019. The Lahore Development Authority never objected on exemption and neither it was a complainant in the present matter, he added. He submitted that after 34 years period, the bureau took action on a complaint and arrested his client when he was present in NAB Lahore office. He argued that the bureau did not have the authority to hold investigations into the matter and it exceeded his jurisdiction.

He submitted that no action could be taken against Mir Shakil under NAB ordinance as LDA had it's own laws and relevant courts were entitled to hear the matter. He further submitted that besides Mir Shakil, two former LDA officials and then chief minister Punjab Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was also nominated in the reference. However, the bureau had not arrested the other accused yet and it was a discriminatory step, he added. He submitted that the bureau had completed investigation from Mir Shakil and now he was in judicial custody. He pleaded with the court for the grant of post arrest bail to his client.

However, NAB Prosecutor Syed Faisal Raza Bukhari opposed the bail petition and argued that Mir Shakil was entitled...