Verdict in Ashiana case on 7th

LAHORE: An accountability court has reserved its verdict on the acquittal applications of former PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif, former LDA DG Ahad Cheema, and others involved in the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme reference.

Judge Ali Zulqarnain Awan made the decision after concluding the final arguments presented by the counsel and the NAB prosecutors. The verdict is expected to be announced on November 7.

The acquittal applications argued that all prosecution witnesses and the approvers had withdrawn their statements, indicating no possibility of conviction in the reference. The applicants urged the court to approve the applications and clear them of the charges.

In a report filed in May, the NAB informed the court that it had found no evidence of financial corruption or misuse of authority by Shehbaz Sharif. The report stated that the allegations of misuse of authority and corruption against the former prime minister were not substantiated under the National Accountability Ordinance of 1999.

On October 11, the accountability court had acquitted Kamran Kiyani, brother of the former army chief Ashfaque Parvez Kiyani, and Nadeem Zia of Paragon City in the Ashiana reference due to insufficient evidence.

When the NAB filed the reference in 2018, it was alleged that Shehbaz and other accused individuals had caused a substantial loss to the national exchequer by awarding the housing scheme contract to a company without a bidding process.

Shehbaz was arrested on October 5, 2018, in the housing scheme reference during his appearance before the NAB in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company’s case. Cheema was arrested on February 21, 2018, on charges of misusing his authority with criminal intent and awarding contracts worth Rs14 billion for the Ashiana scheme.

The NAB alleged that Cheema had received illegal gratification in the form of 32 kanals of land from the owners of Paragon City Developers as a reward for awarding the housing scheme contract to their proxy firm, Bismillah Engineering. Cheema was released on bail after nearly two years in custody.