NAB submits report with SC in Ashiana case

Requests apex court to cancel bails of accused for ‘misusing authority’

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has submitted its reply with the Supreme Court in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme case, alleging that Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and bureaucrat Fawad Hasan Fawad “misused their authority” and their bails be cancelled.

An SC bench, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, will hear the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases today (Wednesday) for the cancellation of Shehbaz and Fawad’s bails in light of the new evidence submitted by NAB.

In a 35-page report, NAB stated that Shehbaz had no relation with the Punjab Land Development Company. He, as a chief minister, could have nominated the board members of the company.

NAB stated that without any complaint, the contract awarded to the first company for the Ashiana Housing scheme was cancelled. To cancel the contract, Fawad pressured the Land Development Company. The court was informed that Shehbaz presided over a meeting of the company and in his house in model town ordered Ahad Cheema to complete the project under public-private partnership.

He also ordered Cheema to buy 100 canal lands from Paragon.

“Fawad took Rs55 million from Kamran Kiyani through a bank,” stated the NAB report. “Shehbaz, without any rhyme or reason, had cancelled the second contract also.”

The court was informed that there were undeniable links in the issue that Shehbaz, Fawad and Cheema committed corruption and documentary and verbal evidence in this regard were also present.

All additional documents and evidences have been attached with the NAB’s written reply.