Islamabad, Mar 16 (IANS): Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appear before it on March 20 in the case against the editor-in-chief of the Jang Geo Media Group, Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman.

While summoning the former leader on Sunday, the NAB said that Sharif, who at present is in London for treatment after having been granted bail on medical grounds, had illegally leased 54-kanal land to Rehman in 1986, Dawn news reported on Monday.

Rehman was arrested by the NAB on March 12 in the 34-year-old case relating to the 54-kanal land allegedly acquired illegally during Sharif's tenure as Punjab Chief Minister at te time.

He was handed over to the NAB on 12-day physical remand by an accountability court following his arrest.

NAB sources said that under the Lahore Development Authority's (LDA) exemption policy, not more than 15 plots measuring one kanal each could be exempted.

"There must be some reasons that he (Rehman) was exempted 54 plots measuring one kanal each in a single compact block. He was required to surrender 70 per cent of this land," Dawn news quoted the sources as saying.

After his appearance before the NAB team in Lahore last week, Rehman had said he had bought the land in question from a private party and no illegality had been committed in this respect.

In a statement, the Jang group said its editor-in-chief had been arrested by NAB in connection with a property allegedly bought illegally from a government entity more than 34 years ago.

The property was bought from a private party and all evidence of this was provided to NAB, including the legal requirements like duty and taxes.