Nawaz Sharif fails to appear before NAB in 'illegal' Jati Umra road probe

Anti-graft watchdog accuses former prime minister of misusing public funds

Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif failed to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigating misuse of public money in a road construction project for Jati Umra in Raiwand, Express News reported.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader was summoned for the second time by the anti-graft watchdog. A three-member joint investigation team waited for Nawaz to show up.

In December 2017, the graft buster had approved the corruption reference against former PM Nawaz and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif for misuse of public funds amounting to Rs126 million, spent on the construction of the two-lane road from Raiwind to their family residence.

The investigations against the Sharif brothers and others in the case were first initiated by NAB in April 2000. The case was among 146 high-profile cases cited in a list by the bureau.

A notification issued by the graft buster said that the width of the road was increased from 20ft to 24ft, which resulted in cost escalation of the project in the deposed premier’s ‘personal benefit’.

It also claimed that the district council Lahore had to drop various other projects of public welfare at the cost of the said project on the ex-PM’s ‘illegal’ directives.

According to NAB’s investigation, Nawaz being the then prime minister of the country had used his ‘undue influence’ on local administration for the project in connivance with Shehbaz.