The Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected a request for an immediate stay order on the planned auction of Bahria Town properties. The court, instead, has directed that complete copies of all NAB references against Bahria Town be submitted.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan heard the case related to the auction. During the proceedings, the petitioner’s lawyer, Farooq H. Naek, requested the court to stop the auction until a final decision is made.
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Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan refused the request for an instant stay, noting that such an order cannot be passed without hearing all parties involved. He remarked that the decision will be made after listening to both sides.
Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan also addressed the matter, stating that NAB reference copies must be attached to the appeals to clarify the extent of alleged corruption. He reminded that the accused had previously entered into a plea bargain with NAB, handing over eight properties. However, the accused later claimed that the plea bargain was made under pressure, not voluntarily.
According to Justice Afghan, once a request to cancel a plea bargain is submitted to the NAB chairman, the case returns to its original trial stage. This means the court must first complete the trial and, if a conviction occurs, only then can the properties be confiscated. He questioned how NAB could move towards auctioning the properties before a trial verdict.
Farooq H. Naek argued that their plea bargain cancellation request and NAB reference are still pending. The court then instructed him to submit full copies of the references against Malik Riaz and Bahria Town.
The hearing has been adjourned until August 13, when the bench will hear both the main petition and all related applications together.
This case remains under public attention, as it involves one of Pakistan’s largest real estate developers and raises important legal questions regarding property auctions and plea bargain procedures.
FAQs
1. What was the Supreme Court’s decision on the Bahria Town auction?
The court rejected the immediate stay request and asked for full NAB reference copies.
2. Who headed the bench hearing the case?
The bench was led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan.
3. What is the role of NAB in this case?
NAB is handling the corruption references and had previously received properties through a plea bargain.
4. Why was the plea bargain disputed?
The accused claimed it was made under pressure, not voluntarily.
5. When is the next hearing?
The next hearing is scheduled for August 13, 2025.
