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Thursday March 28, 2024

NAB’s slow probe into LDA-City scam annoys CJ

To it, Chief Justice Nisar remarked that whole project seemed to be a fraud, aiming at hoodwinking people while NAB’s lethargic response in investigation was a big question mark on its performance.

By Amir Riaz
December 09, 2018

LAHORE: Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday expressed serious concerns over the slow pace of investigation into LDA-City housing scam by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

A special bench, led by the chief justice, assembled at SC Lahore Registry at 5pm and took up an application of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general, seeking permission to procure and transfer remaining land for the housing scheme by the development partners.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan was the other member on the bench.

Lamenting NAB official over conducting probe at snail’s pace, the chief justice observed that it would ultimately benefit the big fish involved in the housing scam and the people, who spent their hard-earned money to purchase plots, would continue to suffer.

The LDA counsel submitted that the land acquired by the LDA partners was scattered, adding that acquisition of another 20,000-kanal land was required to complete the housing scheme.

To it, Chief Justice Nisar remarked that whole project seemed to be a fraud, aiming at hoodwinking people while NAB’s lethargic response in investigation was a big question mark on its performance.

The counsel further stated that a Joint Venture (JV) of five developers/companies was unable to acquire the agreed land for the LDA under the public-private partnership programme.

He said NAB had arrested some of the owners of these companies while others had fled abroad.

The NAB counsel told the court that efforts were being made for the arrest of the absconders while some of the suspects including former railways minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq and his brother Khwaja Salman Rafiq had secured pre-arrest bail from the Lahore High Court.

The chief justice directed NAB to produce a complete record showing that how many suspects were on bail, arrested or absconders, along with the progress in the investigation.

CJ Nisar said the court would itself order the arrest of the suspects, asking the bureau’s counsel to furnish details of courts that granted bail. Justice Ahsan observed that LDA should have chalked out a plan-B to cope with the situation in case of non-acquisition of the proposed land. The bench would resume hearing on Dec 15.

Ventilators shortage

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday summoned Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid and other authorities of the health sector in a matter related to delay in purchase of ventilators for public sector hospitals in the province.

“Ask your chief minister also to stay in the city on the next hearing, as he could be summoned on a short notice of 10 minutes,” the chief justice directed a special secretary health.

A special bench comprising the chief justice and Justice Ijazul Ahsan was adjudicating on an issue pertaining to restoration/up-gradation of United Christian Hospital (UCH) when Special Secretary Health Usman Moazzam pointed out a delay in the purchase of ventilators due to shortage of funds. The officer pointed out that the purchase of ventilators for the hospitals in the province would cost Rs750 million. He said bidding process carried out to this effect had also been expired.

The CJ showed annoyance over delay in buying lifesaving equipment on account of procedural hiccups. He directed the health minister, secretaries for health and finance, and managing director of Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority to appear on the next hearing.

Meanwhile, the bench adjourned the matter of the UCH to deliberate on the options as to how to restore the hospital and observed that the court would not let the hospital to be further exploited by internal disputes of different factions of Christian community.

He also dispelled an impression as if the court was going to snatch the control of the hospital from Christians. “The court can nominate any retired army officer from the Christian community to look after affairs of the UCH but will not allow churches to do their politics at the cost of the hospital,” the chief justice added.

Recalling his visit to the UCH, Chief Justice Nisar regretted that a great hospital of its time had turned into ruins due to internal conflicts of the Christians running its affairs.

He said the hospital could not stand on its feet again unless groupings among the community were ended.

Earlier, a court’s appointed committee told the chief justice that management of Forman Christian (FC) College and Kinnaird College showed their willingness to work with the UCH for its restoration and up-gradation. The committee’s head stated that a meeting to this effect had been scheduled for Dec 15.

Advocate Nayyar Abbas Rizvi also told the court that a Pakistani doctor working in the US was also willing to invest $100 million in the UCH. The bench asked the lawyer to submit a presentation on the matter to the chief justice before the next hearing.

The bench would resume hearing on Dec 22.

Mansha Bomb: Deputy Commissioner Lahore Saleh Saeed on Saturday informed the Supreme Court that 15 individuals submitted applications regarding illegal occupation of their properties after a camp was set up in Johar Town to receive public complaints against infamous land-grabber, Mansha Ali Khokhar alias Mansha Bomb.

She said the applications received at the camp were being scrutinised for further action.

Meanwhile, the LDA counsel told the court that all plots, owned by an overseas Pakistani, namely Mahmood Ashraf, had been recovered from the possession of Mansha Bomb. However, he said the owner of the land needed to move a civil court for getting possession as the authority did not regulate the plots in question.

CJ Nisar disposed of the matter of Mr Ashraf and directed him to approach the civil court for further relief.