KP CM says summoned by NAB as witness in land lease case

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Wednesday said he will appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in response to its summon in a case pertaining to the allotment of land in Malam Jabba-Swat for sports resort.

Speaking to media, he said he believed in the sanctity of state institutions, adding that a negative impression was being created about NAB summoning him for investigation into a case.

The chief minister said he has nothing to do with the case as the Bureau has summoned him as a witness.

A day earlier, NAB summoned the CM on December 17 for investigation in connection with lease of a piece of land in Malam Jabba-Swat for sports resort.

A NAB team will likely question him about his alleged involvement in the scam as he was the then KP minister for sports when the land was leased.

Provincial minister Atif Khan and senator Mohsin have been also served notices by the anti-graft watchdog to appear before it on December 14 in the same case.

It may be recalled that former Chief Minister KP Pervez Khattak, who is currently serving as defence minister had appeared before the NAB in the Malam Jabba’s land lease case.

The forest department’s protected land was leased out to a private company for 33 years allegedly in violation of rules and regulations for the construction of a chairlift and skiing resort.

On April 15, 2015, former chairman of the Ehtesab Commission, General (retd) Hamid Khan, expressed his serious reservations over the agreement and asked the government to review it. The CM Inspection Team had also termed the agreement illegal and launched an investigation into it.