Fawad Hassan’s remand extended

LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday extended physical remand of former principal secretary to prime minister, Fawad Hassan Fawad, accused in Ashiana Iqbal Housing Scheme scam, by October 1.

The NAB officials produced Fawad before the court under strict security arrangements and pleaded the court to extend physical remand of the accused to carry out further investigation.

The court after hearing plea of the NAB extended physical remand of Fawad by October 1. Fawad Hassan Fawad was arrested by the NAB authorities over charges of misusing his authority as being the secretary implementation of former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and causing loss of billion to the national exchequer.

During the previous court proceedings, the NAB officials had informed the court that Fawad allegedly got the Ashiana Scheme’s contract suspended while misusing his authority. After getting it suspended, he played his role in awarding the same contract to Casa Developers against high rate of Rs 4 billion, they said. They said the project was initially given to M/s Chaudhary Latif against very low price of Rs 1.5 billion. They said being secretary of the then Punjab Chief Minister Fawad misused his authority and caused huge loss to the national exchequer. The government, they said, had to pay Rs 6 million as fine to the successful bidder due to cancellation of the contract. Fawad was also accused 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 as per rules. The contract of the Ashiyana Iqbal Project was suspended eight months after it was approved and awarded.

Additional chief secretary: The Lahore High Court has directed Punjab additional chief secretary to appear in person and explain unavailability of house hiring/house ceiling facility for the employees of the court.

Muhammad Akmal Khan, deputy registrar of the LHC, filed the petition and pleaded through counsel that in 1997 the provincial government framed a new policy for official residence for employees of civil secretariat, Punjab assembly and the high court. However, he said, the government later introduced house hiring or alternate house ceiling facility allowance to the employees of the secretariat only while employees of the LHC were totally ignored.

The petitioner said he applied for government residence in year 2000 but no such accommodation had been given to him or other employees so far. Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi sought personal appearance of additional chief secretary on Wednesday (today).