Court grants transit remand of Fawad

LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday allowed two-day transit remand of Fawad Hassan Fawad, former principal secretary to former prime minister, for his appearance before an inquiry committee in Islamabad.

The NAB officials produced the accused before the court to seek his transit remand and pleaded that he had to appear before an inquiry committee in Islamabad. The court after hearing NAB’s plea granted transit remand of Fawad for two days.

Fawad Hassan Fawad is on physical remand with the NAB authorities for his alleged involvement in Ashiyana Housing Scheme scam. The NAB officials arrested him, 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 the rules. The contract of the Ashiyana Iqbal Project was suspended eight months after it was approved and 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 alleged illegal actions taken by Fawad Hassan Fawad delayed the project and multiplied its cost.

The Lahore NAB had summoned the accused on several occasions, but he appeared before the investigation team twice and finally was arrested. LDA former DG Ahad Khan Cheema, in the same case, is on judicial remand after serving 90-day remand in the NAB custody.