Shehbaz, Ahad file acquittal applications in Ashiana case

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former DG of Lahore Development Authority Ahad Cheema, co-accused in the Aashiana Housing scam, have filed acquittal applications in the accountability court.

Both claim that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has no evidence against them and they were falsely charged. The court has requested arguments from both parties on the acquittal plea for the next hearing. According to NAB’s inquiry, Shehbaz Sharif had misused his powers while serving as the chief minister of Punjab regarding the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC).

The inquiry alleges that Shehbaz Sharif, as the chief minister, had illegally assumed the powers of the Board of Directors of PLDC, misused his authority, and colluded with Fawad Hassan Fawad, who was the Secretary Implementation to CM Punjab at the time, and others.

Contracts awarded to M/s Ch. A Latif and Sons for the development and infrastructure of the Ashiana Iqbal Housing Project were illegally cancelled. In a meeting on October 21, 2014, Shehbaz Sharif had directed the PLDC to entrust the Ashiana Iqbal Punjab project to LDA, which was illegal and mala fide since the PLDC was established for undertaking such housing projects.