LAHORE: The list of 13 people who were allegedly allotted plots by Nawaz Sharif as Punjab chief minister from 1985 to 1990 could be the first of so many “other beneficiaries” of the same favours, sources in Lahore Development Authority told Dawn on Saturday.

“Mr Nawaz Sharif had allotted plots as the chief minister to many and they were in hundreds,” a source in the LDA said, claiming that Mr Sharif had done so under his discretionary powers provided in the law at that time.

He claimed Mr Sharif had under the same discretionary powers allotted plots to a known religious scholar, for a hospital and hundreds of others including commoners, journalists and parliamentarians.

But, he said, it would be up to NAB to summon anyone else or not in the investigations against the former prime minister for allegedly allotting plots in violation of rules.

The list of 13 included a couple of bureaucrats and some common people, and a NAB letter issued earlier this month had requested the Lahore CCPO to serve summons on them through local police stations for Sept 29.

But the Lahore CCPO on Saturday expressed his ignorance about any request saying NAB issues and serves notices by itself. A NAB official also expressed his ignorance about the appearance of all or any of the 13 people on Friday. The NAB chairman had paid a farewell visit to the [NAB] offices the same day.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2017