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Thursday March 28, 2024

Ashiana scam: Shahbaz’s physical remand extended by 10 more days

By Numan Wahab
October 30, 2018

LAHORE: An accountability court on Monday extended the physical remand of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President and the opposition leader in National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, for 10 more days in the multibillion Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing scheme case.

The NAB officials produced Shahbaz before the court amid tight security and sought 15-day extension in physical remand of the accused on the pretext that the bureau had not completed its investigation.

The NAB Prosecutor Waris Ali Janjua submitted a report before the court related to investigation till date. The report was based on 14 points, most of which were reiteration of the previous hearings.

The prosecutor submitted that during the remand of the accused, a review of the feasibility report of Ashiana was conducted by a renowned firm. The review revealed that in order to give illegal benefit to M/S Paragon, the market rates were estimated approximately 40 percent lower in case of residential plots and 100 percent lower in case of commercial plots thus giving an illegal benefit of Rs9.649 billion. The prosecutor further claimed that the review report has established that as per feasibility prepared by LDA, the value of 2000-kanal land (share of M/s Bismillah/ Ms/Paragon) was determined as Rs13.894 billion, while the market price of the land was Rs23.534 billion.

The prosecutor alleged that the report prepared by the LDA was based on falsehood and claimed that the accused Shahbaz Sharif illegally handed over Ashiana Housing scheme's contract to Bilal Qidwai, who was a consultant of the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC). The prosecutor implored the court that since the accused had transferred the project to his co-accused Ahad Khan Cheema and also proposed Private Public Partnership (PPP) model, the physical custody of the accused is required to investigate the facts, circumstances, purpose and motives of the accused in this regard. The Monday’s remand hearing was interesting in way that Shahbaz Sharif steered his own arguments instead of his counsel. Shahbaz refuted all the allegations levelled against him by NAB and argued that it was 25 days and the bureau has failed to produce a single proof against him. He said, "I have been implicated in false cases and NAB officials are blackmailing me." “I have answered all the questions of NAB investigators several times,” he added.

Shahbaz dismissed bureau’s claim that his orders for a PPP model were illegal. Fully prepared Shahbaz also presented before the court meeting minutes of the first meeting for the bidding of Ashiana contract. Shahbaz had said in the previous hearing, that he didn’t cancel the first bid and not the second one. In Dec 2014, a second bid was made which was held by the PLDC, Shahbaz added. He said: “I had revealed the truth about Kamran Kiyani's contract in National Assembly, which I had cancelled.” Shahbaz alleged that in the previous remand hearing the NAB had spoken about the second bid but then they distorted facts and misinformed the court. Shahbaz also took up his health matters with the court saying he is battling with cancer, but NAB did not allow him a medical check-up. Shahbaz said in the last week he had requested many times to get his blood tests conducted, but he was told that higher-ups were informed and after their approval, the check-up would be done. “I am a cancer patient and regular checkups are necessary,” he added. Moreover, Shahbaz said he was not allowed to meet his family. “Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was allowed to meet his family but I am not,” Shahbaz said, adding such restrictions were not imposed even during martial law.

The NAB prosecutor said, "Shahbaz has a habit of asking questions rather than answering them." Further, during the hearing, a female lawyer spoke in favour of Shahbaz. To this, the judge remarked, "We know you are also present here." However, the court after hearing the arguments of both the parties, extended physical remand of Shahbaz Sharif by November 7 including three days transit remand of opposition leader for his appearance in the session of the National Assembly.

A number of PML-N workers, led by Marriyum Aurangzeb, staged a protest outside the accountability court. Strict security measures were taken and police contingents were deployed along the route and outside the court building. The PML-N workers clashed with the police personnel deployed outside the court and the police resorted to baton-charge.