NAB arrests former LDA chief over Ashiana Housing Scheme scam

The anti-graft watchdog summoned Cheema twice but he did not show up

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Khan Cheema for alleged corruption in Ashiana Housing Scheme, a low-cost housing project of the Punjab government.

NAB Lahore officials, on Wednesday, had taken the incumbent chief executive officer of the Punjab Thermal Power Ltd, Cheema, into custody from his office on M M Alam Road in Gulberg area. Cheema was facing allegations of illegally allotting land for the housing scheme.

A NAB official said the anti-graft watchdog had summoned Cheema twice for inquiry but he did not show up. He said the former LDA director general would now be presented before an accountability court for judicial remand.



The NAB is conducting an inquiry against officials of the LDA, the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), the Lahore Casa Developers and others.

A few days ago, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Fawad Hassan Fawad appeared before an investigation team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore in connection with alleged irregularities in the PLDC, the parent company of the Ashiana Housing Scheme.

Fawad, while serving as secretary to the project director of Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), had played a role in the cancellation of bid a company to favour another company.