NAB summons Fawad in Ashiana scheme third time

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore, has summoned for the third time the sitting Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad for Wednesday (tomorrow) in the Ashiana Housing Scheme scandal.

According to the NAB sources, Fawad Hasan Fawad has been summoned for Wednesday at 11am at its Lahore office. Earlier, the senior bureaucrat had already appeared before the NAB twice and recorded his statement in ongoing probe.

The NAB has been probing the Ashiana Housing Scheme scandal and the role of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), Lahore Casa Developers and other officials in the award of the contract for constructing the scheme.

Notice to NAB: The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on petition moved by LDA chief engineer Israr Saeed and Arif Majeed Butt of Punjab Land Development Company in Ashiana Housing scam. During the proceedings, the NAB’s counsel submitted reply regarding the plea of Israr Saeed but pleaded the court to submit reply about Arif Majeed. The bench comprised of Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan and Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi recorded his reply and gave him time to submit reply on the next hearing set for May 07.

The suspects contended through their counsel that they were dragged in the case only for complying with the official direction of Mr Cheema, being director general of the LDA. They said an accountability court sent them to jail on judicial remand after the NAB did not object to their release. The petitioners asked the court to grant them bail as they were no more required by the bureau.

ROAD accidents: At least 971 road accidents were reported in Provincial Monitoring Cell of the Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) in all 37 districts of Punjab during the last 24 hours in which 15 lives were lost and 728 serious injured were shifted to different hospitals of relevant districts and tehsils.

However, some 416 victims who sustained minor injuries were discharged on the spot after provision of first aid by emergency medical teams.