ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that "season two of the arrests has to start soon and his party is ready to face it". Talking to media persons, after appearing before Accountability Court here in Narowal Sports City Complex Project (NSCCP) case, he said that during the present government, the country's economy had been destroyed.
"[Prime Minister] Imran Khan and his ministers are hiding their incompetence behind national institutions," he said. He said that the government was playing a dangerous game for hiding its "incompetence".
"All institutions have been directed to set aside Kashmir issue and take action against the PML-N leaders," he claimed. Iqbal also saluted the 20 jawans of the Pakistan Army who were martyred in a single day. "But I would like to ask a question, if the menace of terrorism has been eradicated then why it is again gaining momentum in the country?" he asked. He said that the institutions that were to fight terrorism had been engaged in politics.
"Today, the National Action Plan (NAP), which had been framed to fight against terrorism has been converted into a plan of political revenge," he alleged, adding: "We have no doubts over the bravery of our armed forces but without national unity and strong economy behind armed forces, bravery alone is nothing."
Earlier, during the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) requested the Accountability Court to grant it more time for filling of reference against Iqbal in the NSCCP scam. The Accountability Court Judge, Muhammad Bashir, while hearing the case, approved the NAB's request and adjourned hearing of the case till November 19th.
The NAB investigation officer informed the court that the reference against Iqbal had been presented before pre-executive board meeting, and would soon be presented before the executive board meeting for final approval. According to the NAB, the record collected so far revealed that instead of getting approval of the Central Development Working Party, the scope of the NSCCP was substantially altered, Iqbal accorded approval on his own and approved the same with malafide intentions without taking the matter before the CDWP.
The NAB says that the NSCCP was initiated without any feasibility study in violation of Planning Commission Development Manual regarding feasibility of new developmental projects. It was necessary to prepare feasibility study of projects costing more than Rs 50 million, and Iqbal enhanced the scope with malafide intention by directing the design consultants of the NSCCP.
"Later on, a revised PC-1 costing Rs 2,498.779 million was prepared and the scope was enhanced manifolds, and subsequently, it was approved by the CDWP headed by Iqbal on July 17, 2014. Likewise, the 2nd revised PC-1 costing Rs 2,994.329 million was prepared, and was approved by the CDWP on May 3, 2017," it said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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