LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Sunday issued summons for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif; directing him to appear before the accountability watchdog on March 20 over a real estate transaction case filed against Jang Group’s editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman, Dawn reported.
According to NAB officials, the PML-N supremo had illegally leased out 54 kanals of land to the media mogul in 1986. Rehman, who was arrested in Lahore on March 12, is currently under NAB custody in the city.
His arrest drew condemnation from the country’s journalistic community, with Geo News, a subsidiary of Rehman’s Jang Group of Newspapers, calling the arrest a “political victimisation”.
“This is an attack on the freedom of expression,” said Rana Jawad, Geo News’ news director.
Rehman, whose media house has been critical of the government, had been facing questions from the anti-graft body for the past several months.
Jawad accused NAB of abusing its authority, saying no valid reason was given to Rehman for being taken into custody.
The Geo TV station said Rehman was arrested in a 34-year-old case pertaining to the purchase of land for construction of a house in Lahore.
