ISLAMABAD: Retired Brigadier Amjad Kayani, a brother of former Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday and provided some details regarding the alleged Rs500 million Defence Housing Authority (DHA) scam.
“I visited NAB today to give some details and information required by the bureau,” he told Dawn when contacted.
He was reluctant to disclose what exactly he had discussed with NAB officials. “I cannot share with the media at the moment details of my meeting.”
When asked whether he had provided any information about the DHA Islamabad-Elysium Holdings Pakistan (EHP) scam, the retired brigadier said he could not discuss the matter because of the `sensitivity of case’.
He said he had assured NAB of his cooperation and would go to the authority whenever called. “We (Kayani brothers) will also always remain available to any departmental scrutiny of any of our engagements with the Army during or after the active service, without slightest of hesitation.”
The EHP, reportedly owned by retired Major Kamran Kayani, is already facing NAB action in the Rs16 billion DHA City (Lahore) scam. Mr Kamran is reported to be out of the country these days.
Amjad Kayani denied that the EHP was owned by his brother Kamran.
He said that his and Kamran Kayani’s businesses had nothing to do with the ex-COAS.
In the DHA Valley case, NAB has already made three arrests. Former administrator DHA retired Brig Javed Iqbal and former director project retired Col Sabahat Qadeer Butt were picked up for allegedly misusing their authority and violating the contract by selling allotment certificates illegally and in violation of the agreement between the DHA and the EHP. The third suspect, Waseem Aslam, who is said to be the chief executive officer of EHP, was arrested for causing losses to the DHA and allegedly selling non-saleable certificates of the authority in violation of the contract agreement and without making payment to the landowners.
Attempts to contact NAB spokesman Nawazish Ali Asim for the bureau’s version did not succeed.
Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2016
