Raiwind road constructed after due process

ISLAMABAD: Two decades ago, in 1998, the residents of the areas along the Lahore canal demanded the government to build a road from Adda Plot to Sundar Mull since it would benefit dozens of villages and societies along the canal, facts available in official record show.

A newspaper report was sent to the deputy commissioner (DC) of Lahore by an official of the chief minister’s office for verification. The DC tasked the then assistant commissioner (AC) Lahore Shahzad Khan Bungash to prepare a report about the matter. After an inquiry and survey, the AC recommended construction of the road.

The DC endorsed his report. It was also approved by the then secretary of the local government Aminullah Chaudhry. The AC’s report was sent by the chief minister’s office to the then administrator of the District Council Lahore late Rai Ejaz Ali Zaigham.

He had approved the construction of the road along the Raiwind canal. The road was built by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). It was made a NAB case against Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif in 1999, but could not reach conclusion as no government functionaries testified against them.

An inquiry is going on against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Bureau had summoned Nawaz Sharif for allegedly misusing his authority for “illegal” construction of a road leading to his residence in Jati Umra, Raiwind. The bureau sent a notice to Nawaz Sharif on April 13, asking him to appear before its combined investigation team on April 21. But the elder Sharif did not appear on Saturday.

Citing a probe into the matter, NAB said: “Investigation has revealed that you [Nawaz Sharif] being then prime minister illegally convened a meeting on March 15, 1998 regarding construction of the road from Adda Plot to Sundar Mull by utilising funds of Zila Council Lahore for your personal benefit.”