Narowal Sports Complex reference: Court to indict Ahsan Iqbal, others on 7th

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court has decided to indict Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal on December 7 in the Narowal Sports Complex reference.

The former interior minister appeared before the court of Judge Asghar Ali amid tight security. The court while ordering to provide copies of the reference to Ahsan Iqbal and other accused fixed December 7 for indictment.

The NAB Rawalpindi chapter has filed the Narowal Sports Complex reference, nominating Ahsan Iqbal, former director-general (DG) Akhtar Nawaz and Sarfraz Rasool, whereas Asif Shaikh and Muhammad Ahmed are also named among the accused.

The reference stated that Ahsan misused his authority and increased the budget of the project from Rs 34.75 million to Rs 2,994 million. The former minister had illegally hijacked the provincial project which costs Rs 3 billion instead of Rs 730 million.

The NAB had announced initiating a probe into alleged violation of rules in the construction of the National Sports City project a day after its inauguration by then president of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain.

Talking to media outside the court, Ahsan termed the NAB cases as a vendetta against those who took part in the development of the country. He alleged that cases made on the wish of Prime Minister Imran Khan are nothing but a joke and have caused embarrassment for the country around the world. He challenged the PM to prove corruption allegations against him and said he had issued Rs 3,200 billion for development projects and no one can claim even Rs 32 corruption against him. He said the Narowal Sports Complex project was approved by all the forums concerned.