NAB summons KP CM over land scam

PESHAWAR: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has summoned Chief Minister Pervez Khattak over illegal lease of a huge tract of KP forest department land, NAB sources informed Geo News Tuesday.

Earlier in January, it emerged that the KP government had illegally leased 275 acres of land in Malam Jabba, a tourist attraction in Swat district, which belonged to the provincial forest department.

A few days later, NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal had ordered a probe into the allegations of illegal lease of vast tract. Sources within the anti-graft body said the NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has summoned CM Khattak and Chief Secretary Azam Khan at 11pm on Wednesday. The provincial government was to lease a mere 17-acre patch, i.e. 5 acres for construction of a hotel and 12 acres for a chairlift project, for 15 years.

However, the KP government instead allegedly gave 275-acre land to a private company on lease for 33 years, violating the rules and regulations. The vast tract was reportedly leased despite objections by the KP Ehtesab Commission and CM's inspection team. However, the KP Tourism Corporation had denied the lease of said land.