The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) pronounced Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “innocent” in the Ashiana Housing case on Saturday, saying that no proof of corruption was detected in the scheme’s contract.
According to a report published by the accountability office, neither the national kitty nor PM Shehbaz benefited financially from the project.
“It is proven beyond any reasonable doubt that the treasury suffered no loss,” the anti-graft committee found in its report.
Furthermore, it stated that “no evidence of misuse of powers was found against Shahbaz Sharif.”
The NAB report, which is sure to ignite debate about the corruption watchdog’s neutrality, stated that no element of malice was proven against the prime minister in the affair.
The inquiry also stated that Kamran Kayani, the brother of former army leader General (retd) Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, did not harm the treasury.
Furthermore, the report discovered that Fawad Hasan Fawad, who was Secretary Implementation to then-Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz at the time, took no bribe to grant the contract.
According to the report, Prime Minister Shehbaz has referred the Ashiana matter to the anti-corruption agency in accordance with the law.
“The accountability court should rule on Shehbaz Sharif’s acquittal petition in accordance with the law,” the study stated.
It should be remembered that this is the prime minister’s second significant NAB case in which he has been found not guilty.
The anti-graft watchdog earlier Pakistan month ruled Prime Minister Shehbaz, his son Hamza Shehbaz, and others “innocent” in Rs7 billion referrals brought against them for assets beyond means and money laundering.
What is Ashiana Housing scandal?
The Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing initiative was promoted as a low-cost housing initiative when it was first introduced in 2011.
However, as unexplainable delays in balloting and the allotment of completed units began to emerge, charges of irregularity began to surface.
After several years, some high-profile lawmakers came under fire in 2018 for alleged corruption and misuse of fire, prompting an investigation by the anti-corruption body.
PM Shehbaz was among those accused of abusing his authority as Punjab chief minister during an investigation into the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC).
According to an inquiry performed in 2018, Shehbaz Sharif, as Punjab’s chief minister, wrongfully assumed powers of the Board of Directors of Punjab Land and Development Company (PLDC), misused his authority, and engaged in collusion with Fawad and others.
Contracts for the development and infrastructure of the Ashiana Iqbal Housing Project issued to M/s Ch. A Latif and Sons were fraudulently cancelled and awarded to Lahore Casa Developers (LCD), a proxy firm of Paragon City Private Limited.
Furthermore, it was reported that during a meeting on October 21, 2014, the former CM unlawfully directed PLDC to handover the Ashiana Iqbal Punjab project to the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), which was led by his close aide Ahad Khan Cheema.
This decision of Sharif was considered mala fide as the PLDC was the company that was established for undertaking such housing projects.
During the inquiry in 2018, all three of the major defendants were arrested and later freed.
On the PM’s request, the accountability court granted him a permanent exemption from appearance in the reference in September last year.
