LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Thursday sought a report from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition alleging Rs72 million corruption in Lahore Metro Bus Service project.

Petitioner “Pak-German Company”, dealing in electrical parts, alleged that Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) former deputy director Najaf Iqbal, officers of Lahore Development Authority Shabana Najaf and Faisal Farid committed corruption to the tune of Rs72 million during execution of the project.

Advocate Khurram Masood Kiyani, counsel for the company, told the bench that the respondent officers misused their powers and received millions of rupees from the petitioner-company as illegal gratification. The company had supplied different electrical equipment for the project.

He said an application was submitted to the NAB with all evidences of the alleged corruption in the MBS project but no action was taken so far. The counsel asked the court to order the NAB to initiate an inquiry into the alleged corruption.

The bench headed by Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa directed the Punjab chapter of NAB to submit its report on the matter within two weeks.

ASIF HASHMI: A Lahore High Court division bench on Thursday linked any action by the NAB against former chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Asif Hashmi with the permission of the court.

The bench also sought assistance from attorney general and advocate general Punjab on legitimacy of the NAB Ordinance challenged by Mr Hashmi.

The ex-chairman of the board stated that Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) had held a detailed inquiry into the case of sale of the board’s land to DHA.

The petitioner’s counsel told the bench that trial of the case before an FIA court was at final stage and many co-suspects were already acquitted of the charges.

However, the counsel said, NAB also initiated an independent inquiry into the matter. Since the NAB Ordinance was not ratified by the parliament and lapsed, he asked the court to restrain the bureau from taking action against the former chairman of ETPB.

The bench stopped the NAB from taking action against the petitioner without prior permission of the court and adjourned hearing till Oct 29.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2015

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