Fawad Hasan Fawad challenges his arrest in LHC

LAHORE: Accused in Ashiana Housing Scheme scandal, Fawad Hasan Fawad on Thursday challenged his arrest by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Lahore High Court (LHC).

The senior civil servant, in his petition, maintained that he has been arrested on political grounds.

The petition denied any link of the accused with Ashiana Housing Scheme scandal.

Fawad pleaded to the high court that to declare his arrest null and void as the arrest warrant was issued in accordance with the NAB ordinance, which has become ineffective after 18th amendment in the constitution.

As per the petitioner, proper medical facilities were not being provided to the accused in the prison. Hence, it is requested that Lahore High Court should proclaim the apprehension unlawful and allow the accused to be released, the petition said.

Fawad Hasan Fawad was arrested by the anti-graft body on July 5 on different corruption charges, including the ones leveled against him in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme case.

Three corruption cases registered against Fawad include Ashiana Housing Scheme, illegal employment in a private bank and unlawful transfer of nine CNG stations.

Fawad has served as the principal secretary of two former prime ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during the previous PML-N government.

It is pertinent to mention here that former director general Land Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Cheema has also been named an accused in Ashiana Housing Scheme case.