Ashiana housing scam: NAB to inquire Ahad Cheema's wife

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau will initiate inquiry against the wife of Ahad Cheema, the former director of the Lahore Development Authority who is currently in custody of the anti-graft watchdog.

Ms. Saima Ahad, a serving civil servant, had reportedly been ordered to submit details of her assets and financial records, and has also been summoned to NAB office in Lahore. The bureau is probing whether her husband transferred funds or registered assets in her name.

Ms. Ahad was last posted as Deputy Commissioner Okara a few weeks ago, and was transferred to the Punjab health ministry, where she was assigned several responsibilities.

Ahad Cheema is considered a close confidante of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif. He was arrested on February 21 from his office on charges of financial irregularities in the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) and issuing a contract for Ashiana-e-Iqbal housing project.

Cheema, who is now chairman of Punjab Power Company, has been accused of misusing his authority with criminal intent to award a contract to Bismillah Engineering on the basis of nepotism, causing a loss of Rs 455 million to the national exchequer.

NAB investigators also obtained access to his mobile phone and laptop to investigate the data and emails. The investigators had reportedly approached technical experts to secure and restore the data which had been either formatted or deleted.

His arrest triggered a strong response from the federal and Punjab government and bureaucrats accusing NAB of mistreatment. The Punjab Assembly also passed a resolution denouncing his arrest. It may be mentioned that CM Punjab has also appeared before NAB authorities in relation to the case.