Ashiana Housing case: Shehbaz sent to jail on judicial remand

LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday sent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to jail on judicial remand in connection to the Ashiana Iqbal Housing Scheme case.

Shehbaz, who had been in National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) custody since October 5 in connection to the Ashiana Iqbal Housing Scheme case, was presented before an accountability court in Lahore as his physical remand ended today.

As the hearing went under way, NAB sought an extension in Shehbaz's remand. However, the NAB prosecutor failed to provide satisfactory answers after which the court rejected the accountability watchdog's request for a further extension in Shehbaz's remand and ordered that he be sent to jail on judicial remand.

Following court orders, Shehbaz was taken to Camp Jail on Ferozepur Road by NAB officials. From there, he was shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail.

The PML-N president will be presented before the court again on December 13.

Police baton charge PML-N workers

Earlier, a large number of PML-N workers had gathered outside the court premises and tried to remove the barriers. At this, the police stopped them which resulted in a clash and police resorted to baton charge.

A PML-N worker was also injured during the baton charge and some involved in creating chaos were also taken into custody.

Meanwhile, speaking to Geo Pakistan, Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan had said, "PML-N workers came in the mood for aggression. They tried to fight with the police and the personnel responded."

Stating that no one can be allowed to take the law in their own hands, he said, "The police acted calmly and the situation was hyped up. This violence was pre-planned."

Shehbaz misused powers as Punjab CM: NAB report

NAB accused Shehbaz of misusing his powers while being the chief minister of Punjab in an inquiry pertaining to Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC).

The inquiry conducted so far reveals sufficient evidence to prove the involvement of former chief minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif "in the commission of offences as defined under section 9(a) and Schedule of the National Accountability Bureau 1999.

The inquiry conducted states that Shehbaz Sharif as the chief minister of Punjab had unlawfully assumed powers of Board of Directors of Punjab Land and Development Company (PLDC), misused his authority and acted in connivance with Fawad Hassan Fawad who at the time was Secretary Implementation to CM Punjab and others. Contracts awarded to M/s Ch. A Latif and sons for the development and infrastructure of Ashiana Iqbal Housing Project were illegally cancelled.

As the chief minister, Shehbaz Sharif in a meeting on October 21, 2014 unlawfully directed PLDC to entrust the project of Ashiana Iqbal Punjab to LDA. This decision of Sharif was illegal and mala fide as PLDC was the company which was established for undertaking such housing projects. Shehbaz is accused of illegally transferring this project to LDA, which was headed by his close aide Ahad Khan Cheema.

Shehbaz is also accused of working in connivance with other accused in the case and directed LDA to undertake Ashiana Iqbal Project under Public Private Partnership mode. NAB states this was done in order to give “unlawful benefit to blue-eyed firm namely M/s Bismillah Engineering Service Company, which was a proxy firm to M/s Paragon City.”