LHC extends interim bail of Capt (r) Safdar

LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday extended interim pre-arrest bail of Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar, son-in-law of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, till April 15, in an assets beyond means inquiry. The court extended the bail after a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor sought time for filing reply to the petition.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural heard the pre-arrest bail petition, filed by Capt Safdar.

The accused, along with his counsel, remained present during the proceedings. Through his petition, he had submitted that he had received a call-up notice from the NAB Lahore asking him to appear before its combined investigation team (CIT) to explain his assets.

He submitted that an inquiry into his assets was also pending at NAB Peshawar, whereas he had also filed a pre-arrest bail plea at Peshawar High Court in connection with the inquiry.

He submitted that an inquiry on a single matter could not be launched in two provinces.

He submitted that a pre-arrest bail be granted to him.

Court confirms bail of Cap (retd) Safdar, others in SOPs violation case

A Sessions Court on Monday confirmed interim bail of Capt (retd) Safdar, son-in-law of former premier Nawaz Sharif, and 13 other PML-N leaders in a case of causing trouble to citizens and violating coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during their journey to attend PDM meeting in Gujranwala.

The court directed all the accused for submitting surety bonds of Rs 100,000 each for securing the bail.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Malik Muhammad Asif heard the bail petitions of Capt (retd) Safdar and others. Besides Capt (retd) Safdar, Ali Pervaiz Mailk, Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar, Col (retd) Mubasshar, Rana Mubasshar Iqbal and others were present during the proceedings. Shahdara police had accused the suspects of causing trouble for citizens, blocking roads, unnecessarily using loudspeakers and microphones and violating coronavirus SOPs during their journey to attend the PDM rally in Gujranwala.