Punjab Youth Festival scam: Suspect turns approver against PML-N leader

Rana Mashood

LAHORE: A suspect became an approver against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Mashood in a case pertaining to alleged financial wrongdoings in the Punjab Youth Festival held in 2011 and 2012.

Accused Waseem Ahmed recorded his confessional statement before a judicial magistrate.

He stated before the magistratrial court that the festival’s contracts were awarded illegally to an unregistered firm.

Rana Mashood and former DG Sports Board Punjab Usman Anwer Usman Anwar caused a loss of millions of rupees to the national kitty, the suspect alleged, adding that they awarded contracts to their blue-eyed persons by setting up a bogus company.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) launched a probe into alleged misappropriation of millions of rupees of the Punjab Youth Festival in 2011 and 2012.

Earlier, on June 21, the bureau had arrested former DG Sports Board Punjab Usman Anwer in the case.

He has been accused of violating Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules in awarding contracts worth millions of rupees.