Shehbaz’s judicial remand extended for 13 days

NAB prosecutor says references will be filed soon

LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday extended the judicial remand of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, ex-DG LDA Ahad Khan Cheema and former principal secretary to prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad for 13 days in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam.

The accused persons were presented before the court. The court inquired the prosecutor why the reference had not been filed in the case. The prosecutor submitted that the reference had been prepared and it would be filed within two or three days.

The court extended the judicial remand till January 3 and asked the prosecution to present the accused persons on the date.



Shehbaz was arrested on October 15 by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over allegations of corruption in the housing scam. The bureau had alleged that he had misused his power as Punjab chief minister in cancelling the contract of Ashiana and awarded it to a blue-eyed firm.

He had also bypassed the board of directors of PPLDC to make key decision of Ashiana Scheme. The action of the accused had caused loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer, according to the NAB.

Earlier, NAB had also arrested famous bureaucrats, ex-DG LDA Ahad Khan Cheema and former principal secretary to prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad and others in the case.



Meanwhile, NAB Chairperson Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal visited NAB Lahore headquarters for the second day on Friday. DG NAB Lahore Saleem Shahzad along with directors gave comprehensive briefing to the chairman.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairperson NAB said that they were devising a comprehensive strategy to make Pakistan corruption free. He stated that NAB’s operational policy consisted of three levels; complaint verification, inquiry and investigations.

He quoted PILDAT report and said that 42 per cent people had confidence in NAB. Pakistan had moved to 116^th place on Corruption Perception Index from 126^th, according to Transparency International. Pakistan had become a role model for SAARC countries. World Economic Forum and Mishal Pakistan showed Pakistan on 99th number from 102, he added.

He said NAB had overcome its professional deficiencies. NAB’s operational prosecution and awareness wing had made substantial progress.