Former finance minister Ishaq Dar
PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
A three-member bench, headed by the CJP himself, also directed the LDA chief to restore the park to its original state within 10 days while hearing a suo motu case regarding illegal construction of the road at the SC’s Lahore Registry on Thursday.
The CJP asked the LDA chief, “On whose direction was the park uprooted to construct the road.”
The LDA DG replied that Dar had requested him to widen the road outside his residence to create space for parking vehicles.
The CJP further inquired whether Dar had submitted a written application for the purpose.
Zaman disclosed that Dar had verbally directed him over the telephone.
Displeased with the act, the CJP exclaimed, “What kind of an officer are you! You allowed uprooting of a public park on the verbal order of a minister. I won’t allow favouritism here. A case should be registered against you under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law.”
Ashiyana scam: NAB arrests four more in housing project scam
The CJP remarked, “Everyone creates a scene when they’re sent to the NAB. Now it’s your turn to create one.”
Sensing the situation going against his way, the LDA chief tendered his unconditional apology which was turned down by the apex court.
The CJP remarked that the time for apology had already passed. “Now tell the court in writing that how much area of the park was encroached. Bring all relevant record along with details of expenditures that was incurred on the construction of the road,” the CJP remarked.
Zaman told the top court that Rs15 million was spent on the construction of the road. The CJP remarked sternly that the city developer should recover the rebuilding cost of the public park from Dar otherwise Zaman would have to pay the entire cost from his pocket.
Justice Atta Bandial remarked that restoration of the park to its original state “is the focus right now … investigation will be conducted afterward”.
The LDA officers have been in hot water for a month. The anti-graft bureau, earlier this month, had arrested four senior officers, including LDA Chief Engineer Israr Saeed, Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) CEO Imtiaz Ahmad, Special Policy Unit’s Applied Economic Specialist Bilal Qudwai and a member of the of project’s Technical and Financial Evaluation Committee Arif Majeed Butt, in a multi-million rupees Ashiyana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam.
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