Fawad’s remand extended in Ashiana housing scam

LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday extended for 14 days the physical remand of Fawad Hassan Fawad, former principal secretary to former prime minister, in Ashiana-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials produced the accused before the court and pleaded the court for extension in his physical remand to carry out investigation. They said Fawad Hassan misused his authority being secretary, implementation, of former Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The NAB officials arrested Fawad, accusing him of concealing the report of the inquiry committee about the contract from the senior officials due to his mala fide intention. The inquiry committee had been working under the supervision of the then Finance Secretary Tariq Bajwa. According to the findings of the inquiry committee, the contract awarded to Ch Latif and Sons was legal and approved according to rules. The contract of the Ashiana Iqbal project was suspended eight months after it was awarded.

The contractor, Ch Latif and Sons, had paid Rs 70 million in advance as mobilisation charges. The work was also in progress when the project was suspended. The “illegal actions” taken by Fawad Hassan Fawad delayed the project and multiplied its cost. The Lahore NAB summoned the accused on several occasions, but he appeared before the investigation team twice and finally was arrested.

Meanwhile, NAB has summoned Nishat Chaunian Limited CEO Shahzad Saleem by August 13 in Fawad Hassan Fawad case. The bureau stated in its summons that inquiry into the case revealed that Shahzad Saleem had information related to Fawad’s case.