Closure of inquiry against Chaudhry brothers delayed

NAB’s 9-C reference seeks to formally shelve inquiry against PML-Q leaders

LAHORE: The hearing on National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) references to close inquiries against Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Ilahi and former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at an accountability court couldn’t be held as the judge due to hear the case was on leave

The case, to be heard by Judge Muhammad Azam, was adjourned till March 2 without any proceedings.

According to the anti-corruption watchdog’s investigation officer, NAB Lahore had requested shelving of the inquiry against the two Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders, while the NAB executive board had also approved it. The bureau had filed 9-C references for final approval in the accountability court to formally close the case.

According to NAB, the case against the Chaudhrys of Gujrat pertained to investigation of the illegal sale of 28 plots of a Lahore Development Authority (LDA) housing scheme. According to available information, the inquiry revealed that plots were bought by an employee of the Chaudhry brothers, Mirza Aslam, who used their address on the purchase documents. According to the reference, no verbal or written evidence was found against them.