ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday formally began an investigation into alleged irregularities in the lease of land for and construction of the Grand Hyatt hotel, a week after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) dropped corruption charges against the owners of the under-construction high-rise towers and officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

“NAB Rawalpindi has formally started investigation against officers/officials of CDA and M/s BNP Pvt Ltd regarding allegedly misused authority in allotment of plot to M/s BNP Group for construction of Grand Hyatt Tower at Constitutional Avenue,” NAB’s announcement said.

The newly appointed director general of NAB Rawalpindi, Irfan Naeem Mangi, will be supervising the investigation.

The FIA has closed down its investigation into former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari, former members of the CDA board and the owner of the private firm Bismillah-Niagra-Paragon (BNP) regarding the lease of the 13.5 acre plot.

CDA officials and the building owner were accused of striking a controversial land lease deal. In addition commercial floors were constructed in the building despite there being no such provision in the approved site plan.

In March last year, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah had declared the construction of luxury apartments on land meant for serviced rooms of the luxury Grand Hyatt hotel illegal and upheld CDA’s cancellation of lease.

A committee that included the cabinet, Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and law and justice secretaries and the CDA chairman was later formed to consider compensating affected buyers. The committee was reconstituted by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who appointed Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali as its head. A source in the CDA said the present management of the authority will not close the case unless it is cleared by NAB.

In May 2017, the FIA registered an FIR against Mr Lashari, former CDA member planning retired Brig Nusratullah, former member finance Kamran Qureshi, former member administration Shaukat Mohmand and former member engineering Moin Kakakhel.

Then additional legal adviser Rai Nawaz Kharal, former director estate Habibur Rehman Gillani, former project management director Dr Faisal Awan and the owner of BNP Abdul Hafeez Pasha were also nominated as suspects in the case.

The FIA’s inquiry officer had concluded that the investigation team could not substantiate allegations of fraud, abuse of power and authority, forgery, criminal breach of trust, impersonation or cheating against Mr Lashari, Mr Qureshi, Mr Gillani and Mr Sheikh.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2018