Housing scam: NAB summons Saad Rafique on March 22
Scam came to fore after Fawad Chaudhry alleged the minister of owning the housing scheme, a claim the latter denies
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LAHORE:
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore has summoned Federal Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique for questioning in Ashiyana Housing Scheme Scam.
The Bureau dispatched a notice, asking him to appear before an investigation team at the NAB Complex, Thokar Niaz Baig on March 22 and answer the queries presented by the team. The railway minister is reportedly the owner of Paragon Housing Society. However, he has denied it in the Supreme Court.
An investigation officer of NAB told The Express Tribune that the investigations into the Ashiyana-e-Iqbal Housing Scam had led them to Paragon Housing Society as well. He said that as part of the investigations, NAB raided offices of Paragon a few weeks back and confiscated documents as part of investigation into Ashiyana-e-Iqbal Housing project. NAB said that they had asked for the documents but they were not provided.
Saad Rafique sends defamation notice to PTI spokesperson
NAB had found an amount of over 30 million rupees, which was transferred into account of Paragon Housing Society. The investigation officer said that the amount was used for purchase of land of 32 kanal by Ahad Khan Cheema and his relatives.
NAB had questioned Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Secretary to Prime Minister of Pakistan Fawad Hassan Fawad. Last month, the bureau had also arrested ex-Director General Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Khan Cheema and six other accused persons.
NAB stated that they were involved in embezzlement, fraud, corruption and misuse of authority in the project, which had caused a loss of millions of rupees to the government exchequer.
About grounds for arrest of Ahad Cheema, NAB said that he being an LDA director general had processed and awarded the contract of Rs14 billion to Lahore CASA Developers, a joint venture, which was ineligible for the contract. The bureau cited the action as misuse of authority.
The contract, in connivance with the other accused persons, was awarded in violation of The Punjab Public Private Partnership Act (PPP Act, 2014). NAB further said that the inquiry revealed Bismillah Engineering Services Co (a major shareholder of JV titled Lahore CASA Developers) was a proxy firm working on behalf of Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd.
NAB also alleged that the accused Cheema received illegal gratification in the form of 32 kanals of land (valuing Rs30.090 million approximately from the owners of Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd).
Five other accused were arrested in the case, which included proprietor Bismillah Engineering Shahid Shafiq, LDA Chief Engineer Israr Saeed, Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) Chief Engineer Col (retd) Arif, former chief executive officer (CEO) PLDC Imtiaz Haider, and financial advisor Bilal Qudwani. They were presented before an accountability court in an in-camera session along with Ahad Cheema. NAB sought remand of the accused persons in the case for further interrogation and presented evidence found during questioning. The court handed them over to NAB on physical remand till April 3.
NAB to verify complaint against railways minister, others
An investigations officer said that the remand of the accused in this case may be extended up to 60-90 days. The officer said that NAB could seek a maximum remand for 90 days. With reference to Ashiyana-e-Iqbal, a huge level of corruption was found.
The officer said that NAB had also written to different departments for details of accounts, properties, assets, etc. The engagements and correspondence with these departments also consumed time. “It was quite possible, the remand may be extended up to 60-90 days, considering the level of graft, piles of record etc,” he said.
Moreover, NAB summoned adviser to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique for interrogations on March 26 in another health-related case. Secretary Health Najam Shah had appeared last week before NAB in Saaf Paani Project.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore has summoned Federal Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique for questioning in Ashiyana Housing Scheme Scam.
The Bureau dispatched a notice, asking him to appear before an investigation team at the NAB Complex, Thokar Niaz Baig on March 22 and answer the queries presented by the team. The railway minister is reportedly the owner of Paragon Housing Society. However, he has denied it in the Supreme Court.
An investigation officer of NAB told The Express Tribune that the investigations into the Ashiyana-e-Iqbal Housing Scam had led them to Paragon Housing Society as well. He said that as part of the investigations, NAB raided offices of Paragon a few weeks back and confiscated documents as part of investigation into Ashiyana-e-Iqbal Housing project. NAB said that they had asked for the documents but they were not provided.
Saad Rafique sends defamation notice to PTI spokesperson
NAB had found an amount of over 30 million rupees, which was transferred into account of Paragon Housing Society. The investigation officer said that the amount was used for purchase of land of 32 kanal by Ahad Khan Cheema and his relatives.
NAB had questioned Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Secretary to Prime Minister of Pakistan Fawad Hassan Fawad. Last month, the bureau had also arrested ex-Director General Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Khan Cheema and six other accused persons.
NAB stated that they were involved in embezzlement, fraud, corruption and misuse of authority in the project, which had caused a loss of millions of rupees to the government exchequer.
About grounds for arrest of Ahad Cheema, NAB said that he being an LDA director general had processed and awarded the contract of Rs14 billion to Lahore CASA Developers, a joint venture, which was ineligible for the contract. The bureau cited the action as misuse of authority.
The contract, in connivance with the other accused persons, was awarded in violation of The Punjab Public Private Partnership Act (PPP Act, 2014). NAB further said that the inquiry revealed Bismillah Engineering Services Co (a major shareholder of JV titled Lahore CASA Developers) was a proxy firm working on behalf of Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd.
NAB also alleged that the accused Cheema received illegal gratification in the form of 32 kanals of land (valuing Rs30.090 million approximately from the owners of Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd).
Five other accused were arrested in the case, which included proprietor Bismillah Engineering Shahid Shafiq, LDA Chief Engineer Israr Saeed, Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) Chief Engineer Col (retd) Arif, former chief executive officer (CEO) PLDC Imtiaz Haider, and financial advisor Bilal Qudwani. They were presented before an accountability court in an in-camera session along with Ahad Cheema. NAB sought remand of the accused persons in the case for further interrogation and presented evidence found during questioning. The court handed them over to NAB on physical remand till April 3.
NAB to verify complaint against railways minister, others
An investigations officer said that the remand of the accused in this case may be extended up to 60-90 days. The officer said that NAB could seek a maximum remand for 90 days. With reference to Ashiyana-e-Iqbal, a huge level of corruption was found.
The officer said that NAB had also written to different departments for details of accounts, properties, assets, etc. The engagements and correspondence with these departments also consumed time. “It was quite possible, the remand may be extended up to 60-90 days, considering the level of graft, piles of record etc,” he said.
Moreover, NAB summoned adviser to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique for interrogations on March 26 in another health-related case. Secretary Health Najam Shah had appeared last week before NAB in Saaf Paani Project.