NAB summons Shehbaz in connection with Ashiana housing scheme inquiry

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore has summoned Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif with regard to an inquiry into Ashiana-e-Iqbal housing scheme.

The Punjab chief minister is called upon to appear before a combined investigation team and record his statement on January 22, read a letter by NAB Lahore.

NAB Lahore has been conducting an inquiry against management/officials of Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), Lahore Casa Developers, Lahore Development Authority and others, it said.

The letter read that the prima facie Shehbaz Sharif, being the Punjab chief minister, ordered "cancellation of award of contract of Ashiana-e-Iqbal to successful bidder M/s Ch Latif and Sons, leading to award of contract to M/s Lahore Casa Developers (J.V), a proxy of M/s Paragon City (Pvt) Limited, which resulted into loss of Rs193 million approximately."

Shehbaz directed "PLDC to assign the project Ashiana-e-Iqbal to Lahore Development Authority (LDA) resulting into award of contract to M/s Lahore Casa Developers (JV), thus causing loss of Rs715 million approximately and ultimately failure of project," it said.

The letter further said that Shehbaz "directed PLDC to award consultancy services of Ashiana-e-Iqbal project to M/s Engineering Consultancy Services Punjab (ECSP) for Rs192 million approximately, whereas actual cost was Rs35 million as quoted by NESPAK."