LAHORE: Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday denied having knowledge of any possibility of an in-house change in Punjab.

In a brief informal conversation with reporters during a break in the hearing into Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme reference by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Mr Shehbaz said he was not aware of any move of the opposition to bring an in-house change in the province.

He also expressed his inability to comment on the future of the Pakistan Democratic Movement. “Being behind bars, I am unaware of what is happening outside the jail,” the opposition leader claimed and urged the reporters to ask him about the life in jail.

Earlier, accountability court judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry expressed dismay over the two prosecution witnesses, officials of different banks, for not presenting the relevant record. The judge also issued show-cause notices to the witnesses.

Shehbaz also requested the judge not to avoid frequent hearings and adjourn them for a long time in the wake of the third wave of Covid-19. The judge said this point would be considered later and adjourned the hearing for April 1.

The jail officials also produced former head of the Lahore Development Authority, Ahad Khan Cheema, before the court. Other suspects released on bail appeared on their own. Former principal secretary to the prime minister, Fawad Hassan Fawad, has been exempted from personal appearance in the proceedings.

The NAB had alleged that the Punjab Land Development Company signed a contract in 2015 but failed to complete the low-cost housing project despite a lapse of three years. It said Cheema being the head of the LDA awarded a Rs14 billion contract to a joint venture led by Lahore Casa Company in violation of rules. It said a contract above Rs150 million could not be given to any company without bidding.

The bureau also alleged that Bismillah Engineering of Shahid Shafiq was a proxy firm working on behalf of Paragon City Developers (Pvt) Ltd. It accused Cheema of receiving illegal gratification in the form of 32 kanals from the owners of Paragon Developers. Shehbaz, being a former chief minister, is accused of misuse of authority and getting the contract of M/s Ch Abdul Latif & Sons cancelled.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2021