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Land dealings of Khawaja brothers are suspicious, says NAB

By Numan Wahab
April 19, 2018

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore Region DG Shahzad Saleem on Wednesday said the evidence available with the NAB corroborated that former LDA head Ahad Cheema took benefit from Paragon City in terms of land. A private transaction had been unearthed through which it revealed that a piece of land were transferred in the name of Cheema and his family members and payments were made by Paragon, he added.

He said during the investigation, the NAB had found that the property dealings of Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother were suspicious. However, he categorically denied allegations that the NAB has leaked documents related to Saad’s case.

“The National Accountability Bureau is investigating cases and ‘faces’ do not matter,” he added. Shahzad shared this information with media men after attending proceedings of a case at the premises of the Lahore High Court. He further revealed that the NAB was investigating not one but multiple cases against Cheema and only merit would prevail in the matter. Cheema had also taken a plot from LDA City, he added. According to Shahzad, the NAB has found during the probe of Paragon Housing Society that Cheema and his family members were illegally benefitting from their involvement in a public sector scheme.

Saleem said the bank accounts of Cheema and his family members grew considerably during Cheema’s tenure as DG LDA. He said, “Accountability is such a phenomenon which people like for others but not for their selves. People demand accountability but at the same time they want to apply it to the others.” “The NAB chairman is determined to maintain merit and law as his first priority and nothing will go beyond merit and transparency,” the National Accountability Bureau regional chief said. Cheema was arrested last month over the charges of misusing his authority and, with criminal intent, processing and awarding Ashiana-e-lqbal project contract worth Rs14 billion to Lahore CASA Developers, a joint venture, to a firm which was ineligible for the purpose. The contract, in connivance with other accused persons, was awarded in violation of PPP Act, 2014.

The NAB inquiry further revealed that Bismillah Engineering Services Co (a major shareholder of JV titled Lahore CASA Developers) was a proxy firm working on behalf of Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd. Cheema allegedly received illegal gratification in the form of 32 kanals of land valuing Rs 30.09 million approximately from the owners of Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd.