PML-N MNA faces probe for ‘owning’ plaza in Dubai

ISLAMABAD: One of the Members of National Assembly (MNAs) of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is being probed by National Assembly for allegedly constructing a 500-shop plaza in Dubai and purchasing a Rice Mills which is now worth Rs1.7 billion, as the Bureau of late has upgraded the complaint against the MNA to Inquiry, which means NAB thinks the complaint against the MNA has some weight.

Syed Iftikharul Hassan, PML-N MNA from Sialkot terms the allegations against him as baseless and a conspiracy of his opponents and that he was ready to face any inquiry against him.

Documents reveal that last year in March, NAB received a complaint against the MNA alleging that ‘Iftikharul Hassan Shah, through his secretary and Amjad Gill, has invested heavy amount in Dubai and a plaza consisting 500 shops has been built at Dubai.

He built a Rice Mills at Sahuki worth Rs1750 million beyond known sources of income’.

The NAB Executive Board meeting in September last year had ordered Complaint Verification (CV) against the MNA.

NAB sources say that at CV level, NAB only verifies the facts and proofs attached with an application in addition to obtaining an affidavit from the complainant regarding truthfulness of the application.

If NAB is satisfied that any complaint has any worth, it converts it into Inquiry. In the instant case, NAB spent many months in getting verified the facts and proofs attached with the application against the MNA and on August 9, 2016 the NAB’s EBM upgraded the complaint against MNA to Inquiry. Sources in NAB say that at Inquiry level, NAB has the powers to arrest the accused.

Syed Iftikharul Hassan, PML-N’s MNA while talking to The News said that if he has any property in Dubai he was willing to give it to his opponents and NAB.

He laughingly said that rich people who have Land Cruisers can purchase properties in Dubai and not people like him. “I have remained MNA and MPA so many times because people trust me but now his opponents and PTI supporters in his constituency have moved NAB against him and he only got to know about it through media”, said the MNA.

He held that 500 shops in Dubai would be worth billions of rupees and he was ready to give them to his opponents if he has any.

When asked about the rice mill, Shah said that his son has a one fourth share in the rice mill and that is known to all. Regarding suspicious activities of his son as narrated in the complaint sent to NAB, Shah replied that his son obtained an MBA degree from abroad and has come back and that he was not involved in any dubious activities as it was only propaganda of his opponents who could not win election against him.