NAB Lahore needs Nawaz to explain misuse of authority

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore, has sprung into action against the Sharif family again as it summoned former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and son-in-law of his younger brother Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for April 21 and April 16 respectively.

The PML-N supremo has been summoned to record his statement on the charge of alleged illegal construction of a road from Adda Plot to Sundar Mull by utilising the funds of District Council Lahore for his personal benefit. The Bureau started the probe back in 2000 during the Musharraf regime, but it remained in cold storage for over a decade and a half and was only taken up again when the incumbent chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal took over the charge.

On the other hand, Ali Imran, son-in-law of Shahbaz, has been summoned in connection with the ongoing probe into the Saaf Pani Company and having assets beyond means.

According to NAB sources, it has come to their knowledgethat an amount of Rs120 million were sent into the personal account of Ali from that of the company. The sources said the link of Imran with the Saaf Company emerged when his bank accounts were checked, adding that an inquiry into his assets had also been ordered.

Meanwhile, the NAB Executive Board on Wednesday approved the filing of six corruption references, including one against the Sharif brothers and others over the alleged illegal construction of the road.

The Sharif brothers allegedly caused a loss of nearly Rs125 million to the national exchequer by illegally constructing the two-way road, a NAB statement said. Nawaz has been directed to explain the alleged misuse of authority during his second tenure as prime minister in 1999, as the NAB says the Sharif brothers have been found guilty of road construction at the government's expense for their personal use.

NAB alleged that the road's width was increased, which swelled the project cost. In order to cover the cost, many smaller projects of the District Council Lahore had to be shut down, causing massing inconvenience to the public, it added.