LWMC, assets beyond means inquiries: NAB to quiz Shahbaz at his residence today

LAHORE: A combined investigation team (CIT) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore will interrogate Pakistan Muslim League N (PML-N) President and opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif at his residence on Tuesday (today) in Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) scam and income beyond means investigation.

According to sources, Shahbaz had been informed by the accountability watchdog and a questionnaire for him had already been prepared for further interrogation in the corruption cases against him. Earlier, he had been skipping NAB hearings on poor health grounds. The questionnaire contains several questions about the LWMC including why he had approved a summary for constitution of the company against the recommendations of finance and law ministries?

Why it was necessary to form a new company while Solid Waste Management’s PMU was actively performing same functions? Whether feasibility study was performed about the company including its sustainability and low cost expenditures and research on its profits?

Had he followed all the legal requirements for the creation of a new company?

Why had he decided to constitute the company? Why was the IS-Tech Company given a contract without completing the auction process and legal formalities?

Who had authorised outsourcing the contract to the IS-Tech Company for Rs320 million?

Why was it decided to lend massive amounts and financial assistance to the company without a comprehensive plan?

Why the LWMC plan to repay its debt and generate capital was rejected?

The accountability watchdog further noted that these illegal actions caused a loss of billions of rupees to the provincial exchequer.

The bureau has further identified trail of suspicious transactions into the bank accounts of Shahbaz and sought him to produce sources of those amounts transacted.