LAHORE: An accountability court on Monday allowed former director-general of the Lahore Development Authority Ahad Khan Cheema to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

Cheema is facing trial in two references made against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) including Punjab Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme and the assets beyond means.

He filed an application before the court seeking permission to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah during the Ramazan.

A NAB prosecutor, present in the court, did not oppose the request of Cheema.

The court allowed the application of the bureaucrat subject to furnishing surety bonds of Rs2 million.

LDA ex-chief declines Shehbaz offer for senior position in govt

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered Cheema a senior position in the federal government but he declined the offer expressing his annoyance that the state of Pakistan prosecuted him on frivolous and baseless allegation.

Mr Cheema was arrested after allegations of corruption were lodged against him and he remained in jail during the investigation stage and was later exonerated and released. He had served under the chief ministership of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and Shehbaz Sharif and proved his mettle in executing many a public-interest projects within the stipulated time frames. These projects included Bhikki coal-fired Power Plant and several projects in Lahore as Lahore Development Authority director-general.

It is learnt that the prime minister held a meeting with Mr Cheema and offered him a senior position in the federal government, which he did not accept instantly. He expressed his resentment that he being a civil servant had served the state diligently and honestly but he was maltreated by the rulers.

He said the previous government leaders launched allegations against him and investigated from all angles and eventually exonerated him.

“Why I should look for a job in the state of Pakistan, which used to call me a thief,” Mr Cheema said while speaking to Dawn.

He said he had worked for the Parha Likha Punjab project under the chief ministership of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and served against many important positions under chief ministership of Shehbaz Sharif.

“I am a civil servant and performing the duties assigned to me but was tagged with Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and victimised,” he said and lamented that it was not his fault that the previous PTI government chided him by name in their press conferences and even advertisements.

Answering a question, Mr Cheema said he would prepare his mind for a final decision of his future shortly.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2022