In a written ve
rdict issued in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior
leader and former foreign minister Khawaja A
sif217;s bail application case, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday said it was a fact that Asif had not caused a loss of a single penny to the national exchequer.
However, in 18-page verdict, Justice Aalia Neelam and Justice Shahbaz Ali Rizvi wrote that the allegation of accumulating assets beyond known sources of income against the PML-N
leader merited ‘inquiry’.
The ve
rdict reads that despite the fact that NAB prosecutor had told the court that reference against Asif would be sent to NAB chairman for furthe
r action in the case, reference had not been filed against him till this date.
Furthermore, it reads that the represe
ntative of EMCO, Dubai wanted to come to Pakistan in connection with the case, but the NAB’s investigation officer (IO) did not include him in the investigation.
It further states that the PML-N
leader has declared his income from foreign sources in his tax returns.
The ve
rdict says that NAB’s IO did not get confirmation of A
sif217;s amounts stashed in foreign banks.
The LHC has also made PTI General Secretary Usman Dar’s application submitted to the NAB part of its decision.
Giving relief to arrested PML-N
leader in the money laundering case, the LHC had accepted the bail plea of senior PML-N
leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif on June 23.
