LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau has summoned the chief executive of a textile mills for Aug 13 in connection with the investigation against former principal secretary to the prime minister Fawad Hasan Fawad.

In a notice issued to Nishat Chunian Limited CEO Shahzad Saleem on Friday, the NAB said: “The competent authority has taken the cognizence of an offence committed by Fawad Hasan Fawad under the provisions of National Accountability Ordinance 1999. In the inquiry against Fawad and others it has been revealed that you are in possession of information/evidence which relates to commission of said offences.”

The NAB directed Mr Saleem to appear before a NAB investigator at Lahore office on Aug 13 to record his statement along with relevant record. It said failing to comply with this notice may entail penal consequences as provided in Section 2 of the schedule of NAO.

A source said Mr Saleem had been summoned in connection with contracts of some projects awarded in violation of rules in the previous PML-N government.

Meanwhile, an accountability court on Friday extended physical remand of Fawad Hasan Fawad for 14 days in the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) produced Mr Fawad before the court and sought his further remand to complete investigation.

The NAB accused Fawad of misusing authority being secretary implementation of former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and violated procurement rules to award contract of the housing scheme to a company of his choice. It said initially Rs1.5 billion contract was given to successful bidder – M/s Chaudhry Latif and sons.

The bureau alleged that Fawad cancelled the contract and awarded the same to M/s Lahore Casa Developers on an inflated price of Rs4 billion. It said the government had to pay Rs6 million as fine to the successful bidder.

In this case, the NAB also arrested former Lahore Development Authority chairman Ahad Khan Cheema. He is on judicial remand after completing 90-day physical remand with the bureau.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2018