Misappropriation: NAB arrests two over plot allotment

Accused include CDA director, private contractor.

PESHAWAR:

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested the director of Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad and a contractor over alleged misappropriation.

Former director of estate management, Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) and incumbent CDA Director Ijaz Afzal Khan along with contractor Raz Muhammad Durrani are accused of illegal allotment of 5 kanals of land in violation of set protocol. They are also accused of allotting the land, adjacent to Iqra University in Hayatabad, on a very nominal price for a lease of 33 years with a provision for further extension.

During the course of an enquiry against officials of PDA and others in allotment of the plot to Iqra University, it was discovered that 5 kanals of land had been allotted to one Raz Muhammad Durrani through a non-transparent bidding process. It was also revealed that Khan, being a member/secretary of the committee to evaluate technical and financial proposals of bidders, criminally violated the rules and regulations and facilitated illegal award of the contract. The accused, being a member of the committee, was responsible for scrutinising bid documents. This, NAB claims, resulted in losses worth millions to the national exchequer.

NAB Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is actively pursuing the investigation and the role of those who are behind this scam is also expected to be unearthed. The accused persons will be presented in an accountability court for obtaining physical remand today (Friday).

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2014.