An accountability court on Monday acquitted Jang group's editor in chief Mir Shakeelur Rehman in a reference of a property transaction case which took place 34 years ago.

The former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been declared an absconder in the same reference. Former director-general of Lahore Development Authority Humayon Faiz Rasool and its former director of land development department, Mian Bashir Ahmad, however, have been acquitted in the case.

National Accountability Bureau arrested Rehman in March 2020 for his failure to adequately answer questions regarding the 1986 purchase of a 54 canal private property in Lahore's Johar Town.

According to a story in Geo, Rehman presented all the property papers but was arrested.

According to a story in Dawn, in its reference NAB said Rehman had illegally obtained exemption for the Johar Town land. It said it was done in connivance with the then chief minister of Punjab, Nawaz Sharif, in 1986 "against the exemption policy and the laws for monetary gains."

That exemption, according to NAB, cost Rs143.53 million to the national exchequer.

Following his arrest in March 2020, Rehman filed an appeal for bail which was rejected by the Lahore High Court in July but granted by the Supreme Court in November 2020.

Rehman spent 8 months in jail.

Social media users took to Twitter to welcome the decision.

Journalist Raza Rumi tweeted how the MSR case highlights "the farce of accountability -- or witch hunt of political opponents, media owners etc -- gets exposed every day."

The lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferrii said Rehman should consider suing NAB.