KOHAT, Aug 8: National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Azad Kashmir, served a notice on District Nazim of Kohat, Malik Asad, on Wednesday when he was presiding over budget session, asking him to appear before the authorities concerned in a corruption case.

The District Nazim, who owns a construction company in Islamabad, got a loan of Rs 5.8 million for the construction of a bridge in Azad Kashmir in 1990, but after the lapse of 12 years he failed to repay it. The case had been pending in the Peshawar High Court for the last one decade. The quality of the said bridge was also not satisfactory but at that time Malik Asad managed to stay free.

An official of the NWFP NAB told Dawn that they were also investigating the use of substandard material in the construction of new hostels in the Peshawar University by the Nazim.

The said contract was worth Rs 20.4 million where the buildings constructed by Engineer Malik Asad become dangerous after only two years. He said the contractor also installed hundreds of low quality fans bearing marks of Millat company.

The Nazim, Malik Asad, in a press release issued here said that cases were pending in the courts and the NAB had no authority to summon him for interrogation.

However, under the NAB Ordinance once the case was referred to the bureau, the accused has to appear before the authorities and record statement.