‘Asif Hashmi’s arrest first step towards justice’

LAHORE

Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiq-ul-Farooq has claimed that ETPB former chairman Syed Asif Hashmi has been arrested by Interpol in Dubai for his alleged corruption and illegal practices. 

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Siddiq-ul-Farooq said Hashmi had been arrested on the basis of a reference the ETPB had filed against him with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore. 

Siddiq-ul-Farooq termed the arrest of Hashmi first step towards justice, saying they now were eying on the recovery of all the looted money from Hashmi and the punishment he got for his corruption and illegal acts. The ETPB chairman said all the accomplices of Hashmi should be dealt with an iron hand. 

Justice demands no mercy for Hashmi and his accomplices. If they are guilty, there should be no mercy for them, Farooq maintained and claimed Hashmi used to say that he had connections in FIA, NAB and courts, etc, and would get away from any punishment. 

As for as I know, all the agencies and courts of the country are free and working independently. It is beyond imagination that why Hashmi makes such tall claims which have no ground either, he added. 

To a question, Farooq said Hashmi had made around 700 illegal appointments in ETPB due to which the board was suffering a staggering loss of Rs 90 million. He said his predecessor had allotted around 600 plots measuring 5-marla to 1-kanal to ETPB employees illegally, besides, the former ETPB chairman had also allotted the board’s land illegally.

To another question, the ETPB chairman said the board had submitted all relevant record and material to NAB which is investigating different cases related to corruption and corrupt practices of Hashmi. Siddiq-ul-Farooq said not a single employee of the ETPB would be sacked until the appointments of Hashmi’s era proved illegal.