LAHORE: In a surprising move, the National Accountability Bureau on Wednesday expanded the scope of inquiry against Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar from an illegal award of liquor licence to assets beyond means.
The chief minister appeared before the NAB Lahore investigators regarding an inquiry against him for awarding a liquor licence to a hotel allegedly after receiving a bribe of Rs50 million. Buzdar remained in the NAB office for approximately two hours.
It has been learnt that Buzdar was less responsive to questions and insisted on providing a written questionnaire and sought time to fill that questionnaire. When asked about the bribe allegedly received by him for awarding the liquor licence, the CM categorically refused it and termed it an allegation to malign his repute. The CM said that he is running affairs of the CM’s office according to business rules and regulations.
However, when the investigators confronted him about different matters and asked him that according to what rules, he has given approval to such works, the CMwas unable to explain business rules in this regard.
Interestingly, the investigators also confronted the CM with allegations of making assets beyond means and making assets in the name of his relatives. The CM again termed questions related to assets as allegations and asked the NAB officials to give him written questions and time for answering the questions.
It has been learnt that the NAB has handed over a questionnaire to Buzdar comprising 12 pages, asking him to provide details of his assets. The NAB has also asked him to provide details of assets in the name of his family members and relatives. The NAB has sought record from the CM regarding properties being bought and acquired by him on lease and his family members in the near past. The NAB has directed Buzdar to submit filled questionnaire by August 18.
It has also been learnt that the NAB is in loop with some officials of the Excise and Taxation Department, who can testify against the chief minister in the liquor license inquiry against him. The NAB Lahore had started the complaint verification process of this matter against Buzdar in April 2019. Later, that was converted into an inquiry and now assets beyond means are part of it.
As per details, the Unicorn Prestigious Hotel Lahore had applied to the Excise and Taxation Department for obtaining an L-2 liquor licence without firstly obtaining registration and licence from the Department of Tourist Services Punjab under the Pakistan Hotels and Restaurant Act 1976 and Rule 1977 with a 4/5 star rating. The condition of having 4/5 star rating was essential for obtaining L-2 liquor licence after the CM in 2009 approved a policy which restricted grant of L-2 licence only to hotels having 4/5 star rating. The officers of the Excise and Taxation Department granted licence to the said hotel in 2019 in violation of the 2009 CM policy and without registering the licence of the Unicorn Prestigious Hotel from the Department of Tourist Services Punjab.
As per the NAB, the Excise Department referred the matter to the CM office for three times to get approval of the CM. It has been alleged by the NAB that despite having knowledge about the sensitivity of the matter as highlighted by the Excise Department time and again, the CM office willfully failed to exercise the lawful authority to prevent the issuance of the liquor licence to the Unicorn Prestigious Hotel.
Interestingly, the NAB documents state that “it has been alleged that Rs50 million were taken as bribe for granting the illegal L-2 liquor licence.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said he appeared before the NAB in personal capacity while fulfilling the legal requirements. In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said he went to the NAB’s office in a vehicle without protocol. "I presented my point of view before the NAB and apprised them about facts in the matter of the issuance of the liquor license. I presented the facts before the NAB to remove any ambiguity in the matter of the licence," he said.
The CM asserted that with the grace of Almighty Allah, his hands are clean and he will present his point of view whenever summoned. “We believe in the reverence of constitutional bodies as no one is above the law in the new Pakistan. I have set a tradition of accepting the supremacy of the law by presenting myself before the NAB and I have also presented my point of view before the special commission and the court,” he added.
The CM regretted that hooliganism and lawlessness were demonstrated before the NAB office on Tuesday. The nation witnessed pandemonium on Tuesday and a demonstration of believing in the law on Wednesday. The violators of the law have exposed themselves; he said and added that following the law is the duty of every citizen. “I have neither committed any wrong nor would allow it to anyone. The affairs of the government are being run in accordance with rules and regulations in Punjab,” he said.