LAHORE: Difficulties of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif are set to compound further as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned him for allegedly misusing his authority for “illegal” construction of a road leading to his residence in Jati Umra, Raiwind.

The bureau sent a notice to Mr Sharif on Friday, asking him to appear before its combined investigation team on April 21.

Mr Sharif received the notice the same day regarding “construction of a road from Raiwind to the Sharif family house”.

Citing a probe into the matter, NAB said: “Investigation has revealed that you [Nawaz Sharif] being then prime minister illegally convened a meeting on March 15, 1998 regarding construction of the road from Adda Plot to Sundar Mull by utilising funds of Zila Council Lahore for your personal benefit.”

Former PM accused of using public money for his own benefit

The corruption watchdog asked Mr Sharif to explain his position regarding his “illegal direction” to the authorities concerned to enhance the width of the road from 20 feet to 24 feet for his “personal benefit” which resulted in cost escalation. “It has also been revealed that you exercised the authority which was not vested with you by passing illegal directions on the project funded by the Zila Council Lahore.”

The notice further says: “Being then prime minister you misused your authority by way of initiating the project for your personal benefit in connivance with your brother Shahbaz Sharif who was then the chief minister of Punjab. Because of your [Nawaz Sharif] illegal direction the Zila Council Lahore had to drop various other projects of public welfare at the cost of the said project in connivance with Shahbaz Sharif.”

Mr Sharif has been directed to appear before the investigation team along with relevant record (at 11am on April 21) at its office in Thokar Niaz Baig.

NAB has already issued a notice to Shahbaz Sharif with a direction to submit a complete record of this “illegal construction” of the road. It has not been confirmed whether the younger Sharif complied with this direction.

“The Sharif brothers allegedly caused a loss of about Rs125 million to the national exchequer by illegally constructing the road to their Jati Umra residence,” a source told Dawn. He said the road was constructed ‘exclusively’ to facilitate the Sharifs as the area mostly had agricultural land at that time.

The NAB executive board had approved the filing a reference against Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and others involved in this (road project) case.

Mr Sharif, his sons Hassan and Hussain, daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law retired Capt Mohammad Safdar are facing trial in three corruption references filed against them by NAB.

Nawaz Sharif lost the PML-N president office to Shahbaz Sharif in February in the wake of the apex court decision.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2018