LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday appeared before theNational Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with an inquiry intoalleged irregularities in the Ashiana Housing Scheme.
The NAB had summoned the Punjab CM today at 10:00am to record hisstatement, but he turned up quite late in the afternoon without usualprotocol.
He stayed in NAB Lahore office for more than one-and-half-an hour and leftimmediately after recording his statement.
He has been accused of illegally meddling in the affairs of the Punjab LandDevelopment Company (PLDC) that caused over Rs1 billion loss to thenational exchequer.
A combined investigation team (CIT) of the bureau questioned him forallegedly misusing his authority to award the contract of Ashiana HousingScheme project to a company but the successful bidder.
According to the NAB notice, an inquiry against officials of the PunjabLand Development Company (PLDC) and Lahore Development Authority (LDA)revealed that “prima facie Shahbaz Sharif, being the Chief Minister Punjab,had ordered certain illegal acts in sheer violation of the laid downprocedures for functioning of PLDC due to which the company bore a hugefinancial loss.”
“Shahbaz had ordered cancellation of contract of Aashiana-e-Iqbal to asuccessful bidder, leading to award of the contract to other builder, whichresulted into a loss of Rs 193 million approximately,” the notice reads.
He also directed PLDC to assign the project of Aashiana-e-Iqbal to LDAresulting into award of contracts to M/s Lahore Casa Developers (JV), thuscausing loss of Rs 715 million approximately and ultimately failure of theproject, according to the notice.
It says the chief minister had also directed PLDC to award consultancyservices of Aashiana-e-Iqbal project for Rs 192 million approximately, butits actual cost was Rs 35 million.