After Ashiana Housing scam, another reference filed against Ahad Cheema

LAHORE: Former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Cheema has been accused in another reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for possessing disproportionate assets than his known means of income.

According to the anti-graft watchdog, the suspect had made property worth billions of rupees in the name of his family members.

The specifics of properties owned by Cheema and his family members, as per the Bureau, are: ownership of over 300 kanals of agriculture land in Hafizabad, over 190 kanals in Lahore, a flat in Hill View, Islamabad, two plots in FIA Employees Cooperative Housing Society, Islamabad, two flats and plots in Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation, Islamabad, a 10-marla plot in Faisal Town, Islamabad, two five-marla plots in Faisal Residencia Islamabad and a three-kanal plot on Bedian Road, Lahore.

Cheema, who is considered to be a close confidant of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, is already under NAB’s custody. He was arrested on February 21 on charges of financial irregularities in the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) and Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam.

He 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.

On August 20, the accountability court of Lahore reserved its verdict on the indictment of Ahad Cheema in Ashiana Housing Scheme scam.