LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday has arrested senior most bureaucrat Fawad Hassan Fawad in Rs14 billion Ashiana Housing Scheme scam.
The NAB Director General confirmed the news and said that Fawad was arrested on the orders of the bureau’s chairperson.
Fawad Hasan Fawad was detained for alleged corruption in the Ashiana Housign Scam. He pressurized Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tahir Khursheed and Project Director Ali Moazzam of Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) to cancel the contract with M/S Chaudhry Latif and sons and gave it to Casa Developers.
The government had to pay Rs5.9 million in damages due to alleged cancellation of the contract that further delayed the project.
He also constructed a plaza in Rawalpindi through illegal assets. Fawad neither presented any record before NAB nor was able to respond to their queries. Motorway Housing Scheme was illicitly approved at his behest.
He was also charged with relocation of Compressed Natural Gas stations and illegally serving in a bank.
According to NAB, Fawad was taken into custody on ample evidence gleaned from statements of co-accused testifying against him while he will be produced before accountability court on Friday.
Fawad Hassan Fawad served as the principal secretary to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and is considered his close aide.
He was removed from the position on June 1, 2018 and appointed as director general of Civil Services Academy, Lahore.
It is worth mentioning that former director general Land Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Cheema is also accused in Ashiana Housing Scheme case. An Accountability court (AC) on Wednesday extended the judicial remand of Ahad Cheema and other five suspects in the Ashiana Housing Scheme scandal till July 13.
Meanwhile, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said that the arrest of senior bureaucrat Fawad Hassan Fawad in Rs14 billion Ashiana Housing Scheme scam is regrettable.
Talking to media in London outside Harley Street Clinic, the former premier said that he had heard the news of Fawad Hassan Fawad’s arrest and lamented the news.
It is pertinent to mention here that Fawad Hasan Fawad was detained for alleged corruption in the Ashiana Housing Scheme. He pressurized chief executive officer (CEO) Tahir Khursheed and Project Director Ali Moazzam of Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) to cancel the contract with M/S Chaudhry Latif and sons and gave it to Casa Developers.
The government had to pay Rs5.9 million in damages due to alleged cancellation of the contract that further delayed the project.
He also constructed a plaza in Rawalpindi through illegal assets. Fawad neither presented any record before NAB nor was able to respond to their queries. Motorway Housing Scheme was illicitly approved at his behest.
He was also charged with relocation of Compressed Natural Gas stations and illegally serving in a bank.
Fawad Hassan Fawad served as the principal secretary to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and is considered his close aide.
He was removed from the position on June 1, 2018 and appointed as director general of Civil Services Academy, Lahore.
On the other hand, talking to media Maryam Nawaz while responding to a question regarding a plea in the accountability court requesting to defer verdict in Avenfield reference for few days, said that the petition has been filed and the judge remarked that this was not the concerned court to file plea.
Islamabad Mayor Shaikh Ansar Aziz, Ishtiaq Loon and other PML-N leaders were also present on the occasion. – NNI