ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Saad Rafique is attending his first National Assembly session today after his arrest in connection to a housing society scam.
The former railways minister was brought to Islamabad from Lahore, after National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser issued a production order for him.
Rafique is in the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) custody in connection to the Paragon Housing Society scam. The PML-N leader and his brother were arrested earlier this month after the Lahore High Court rejected their request for an extension in their pre-arrest bail in the case.
In the days following his arrest, the opposition staged a number of walkouts from the National Assembly in protest over delay in issuance of a production order for the PML-N leader.
Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Rafique when he arrived at the Parliament earlier today. Marriyum Aurangzeb and other party leaders were also present on the occasion.
Rafique, speaking to media outside the Parliament, lamented that his production order was issued after a delay of six days. However, he thanked the opposition parties for raising their voice for him over the matter.
Slamming NAB, the former minister said its “black law” was harming the country’s politics, economy and democracy.
“It will take everything down with it if this revenge in the name of accountability doesn’t stop,” he said.
