NAB to file another reference against Shehbaz on Saturday

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file supplementary reference against Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif in Ashiana Housing scam on Saturday (December 22), ARY News reported on Thursday.

Chairman NAB Justice retired Javed Iqbal has already green signaled to file reference against Shehbaz Sharif in Ashiana Housing scandal.

It may be recalled that Shehbaz and Fawad are already under NAB’s custody in Ashiana Iqbal housing scheme case over charges of denting national exchequer.

Ashiana Housing Scheme scandal 

According to NAB, “the contract for the housing scheme was won by a construction company titled Chaudhry Latif and Sons but former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif and his aides awarded the Rs 14 billion contract to Lahore Casa Developers – a proxy group of Paragon City (Pvt) Limited, which is said to be owned by Railways Minister Saad Rafique”.

As per law, it is illegal to make any agreement above Rs150 million with a single company.

“Fawad Hasan Fawad, who was implementation secretary to the chief minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif at the time, leveled charges of wrongdoings against Chaudhry Latif and Sons in order for the contract to be awarded to Casa Developers,” the anti-graft body claimed.

It was due to the hired company’s incompetence that the project could not be completed in three-year duration which brought upon a loss of Rs640 million to the government, NAB officials added.