NAB summons Shahbaz over inquiry into Ashiana-e-Iqbal project

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau, Lahore, summoned Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on January 22 with regard to an inquiry into the Ashiana-e-Iqbal housing scheme. The NAB Lahore has been conducting an inquiry against the management/officials of Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), Lahore Casa Developers, Lahore Development Authority and others under Section 19 of the NAO, 1999 in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal project.

In a notice addressed to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for inquiry, the NAB Lahore asked him to appear before the Combined Investigation Team of NAB on January 22 that prima facie being the chief minister he ordered the actions without lawful authority, in sheer violation of laid down procedures for functioning the Punjab Land Development Company and by unlawfully assuming functions of the board of PLDC, which resulted in huge loss to national exchequer.

In a notice letter to the Punjab chief minister, the NAB Lahore stated that being the chief minister Punjab, he ordered cancellation of award of contract of Ashiana-e-Iqbal to successful bidder M/s Ch Latif and sons, leading to award of contract to M/s Lahore Casa Developers (JV), a proxy group of M/s Paragon City (Pvt) limited, which resulted in loss of Rs193 million approximately.

The second allegation was leveled against the Punjab chief minister in a NAB notice, “You directed PLDC to assign the project of Ashiana-e-Iqbal to Lahore Development Authority (LDA) resulting into award of contract to M/s Lahore Casa Developers (JV), thus causing loss of Rs715 million approximately and ultimately failure of project.”

Third allegation on which the NAB wanted to inquire from Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was being Chief Minister Punjab he directed PLDC to award consultancy services of Ashiana-e-Iqbal project to M/s Engineering Consultancy Services Punjab (ECSP) for Rs192 million approximately whereas actual cost was Rs35 million as quoted by Nespak.