Ahsan Iqbal indicted in Sports City graft case

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court indicted on Tuesday Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretary General and former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal and others in the Narowal Sports City Complex corruption case.

The proceedings were conducted by accountability court-III judge Syed Asghar Ali.

Former Pakistan Sports Board director general Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera, Sarfraz Rasool, Ministry of Planning officer Asif Sheikh and a private contractor named Muhammad Ahmed were also indicted for their alleged involvement in the matter. Iqbal along with four other accused pleaded not guilty.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has alleged that the sports city project was conceived on the instructions of Iqbal without any feasibility in 1999 and this project was first called the Sports Stadium Narowal.

It was initially approved at a cost of Rs34.74 million by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) which Iqbal headed. The NAB has claimed that he illegally directed the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and NESPAK for increasing the project’s scope enhancing the cost to Rs97.52 million.

The PML-N leader objected to the indictment, saying the judge did not even listen to the prosecution, adding the court had to make sure whether the case was valid or not.

In response to Iqbal’s comments, the judge said the court was not here to listen to such remarks, adding he (Iqbal) should file a petition or speak through [his] lawyer. The accountability court has summoned witnesses from the NAB on January 12 for recording the statements.

Speaking to journalists outside the court, the PML-N leader said: “The purpose of these false references is to discredit, pressurise and hurt the opposition.” Iqbal said the government was wasting state resources on “lies” by making cases against people who had nothing to do with corruption.

“The person who made the illegal construction in Bani Gala is making a case against us,” Iqbal said, adding: “(Prime Minister) Imran Khan has demolished the houses of hundreds of poor people by declaring them illegal.” Iqbal went on to say that action should be taken against the Capital Development Authority (CDA) officers for allegedly “illegal” regularisation of Khan’s house.