LHC to decide if Hamza gets extension in bail or arrested today

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) will resume today hearing of bail petitions of Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz in three cases filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Hamza will appear before a LHC bench to request an extension in his bail which expires today. He will be taken into custody by the corruption watchdog in case his request for bail extension is turned down by the court.

Previously, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi, had extended his bail until June 11 in the cases related to Punjab Saaf Pani Company, Ramzan Sugar Mills, money laundering and assets beyond means.

During the previous hearing, Justice Naqvi had expressed displeasure over sloganeering by PML-N workers who accompanied Hamza to the court asking slogans are being chanted in the high court every other day, is this a high court or Mochigate?

“Why doesn’t Hamza Shahbaz join the probe like a common man?” he asked. At this, Hamza’s lawyer replied that his client had been joining the probe continuously.

The bench also censured a team of NAB over their lack of preparation in the case.

Earlier, on May 29, the Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice had constituted a new two-member bench to hear the bail petitions of Hamza Shehbaz.

The bench, under the stewardship of Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, referred the petitions to the LHC chief justice to fix them before another bench after Hamza expressed mistrust in the bench. Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem was other member of the bench.

During the hearing, the opposition leader said he respected the judiciary and was not afraid of his arrest.

Referring to a controversial interview of the NAB chairman, he contended that the bureau’s head claimed that Hamza will not be able to hide behind the bail as the bench had changed now. He questioned if the NAB chairman had become powerful enough to get a bench changed or bail revoked.

He, therefore, requested the bench to transfer the case to another bench to hear and decide it.

The post LHC to decide if Hamza gets extension in bail or arrested today appeared first on ARYNEWS.

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