LAHORE: As the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) launched an investigation against the owners of the Khayaban-i-Amin Housing Society after receiving 287 complaints against it for cheating people of Rs221.65mn, it received over 50 more such complaints on Sunday at its Lahore office.

“NAB Lahore Director General Shahzad Saleem have authorised two inquiries; one against Khayaban-i-Amin Housing Society and other against Punjab Workers Welfare Board (PWWB) Director (Education) Dr M Arshad while chairing a regional board meeting (RBM) at its Lahore office,” an official said.

Mr Saleem said NAB chief retired Justice Javed Iqbal had issued directions to address all housing societies-related cases on priority and he had advised all officers to investigate cases without succumbing to any pressure.

A day earlier the NAB chairperson had presided over a cheque distributing ceremony among victims of a housing society.

NAB had been vigorously investigating allegations of corruption in different housing societies the most famous of these were Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme, Paragon Housing Society, Eden Garden Housing Society Scam and Khayaban-e-Amin.

NAB said the second Inquiry had been authorised against Dr M Arshad and other officers/officials and Aurangzeb Enterprises, Ahmed Traders, Amin & Sons, Javed Enterprises and others.

“The information gathered till date proved the allegations of misuse of authority in the procurement of substandard uniforms for the PWWB Schools in 2012-13. Complaint proceedings reveal the subject persons did not allow all willing private companies to participate in the tender proceedings for summer/winter uniforms for the PWWB Schools for the year 2013-14.”

Moreover, he said, the rates approved in tenders are 130pc higher than the tenders from the previous year 2012-13 which allegedly caused a loss of Rs100m to the board. The tenders were also awarded to the blue-eyed contractors and an inquiry had been authorised to further dig into the allegation.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2018