ISLAMABAD – Newly sworn-in Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmad on Saturday constituted a bench to hear bail petitions filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of National Assembly (MNA) Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique in the Paragon Housing Society reference.
Justice Ejazul Ahsan and Justice Aminuddin Khan will take up the bail petitions on December 23 – the day when Khawaja brothers’ judicial remand will expire.
Meanwhile, the court has issued notices to the defense counsel advocate Ashtar Ausaf Ali and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor.
On Dec. 9, an accountability court had extended their judicial remand in the same case, while Justice Jawadul Hassan had also allowed Mr Rafique to attend the National Assembly’s session in Islamabad.
“I want to say something in the court,” Rafique had pleaded in the courtroom, adding: “Trial in the open court is the basic right of every person, everyone can hear the [proceedings] of the case.”
“In my case, court reporters are not being allowed to enter the courtroom, and facts are being hidden from the general public” Rafique had told the court.
“Police [in every hearing] prevent lawyers, reporters and visitors from entering in the courtroom.”