The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested former director general of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Cheema, a spokesman confirmed on Wednesday. Cheema is facing charges of illegally allotting land for Ashiana Housing Scheme in the Punjab capital. He is also considered a close aide of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.
The NAB took Cheema into custody from the office of Punjab Power Company in Gulberg. Ahad Cheema, who is currently the chief executive officer of the Punjab Thermal Power Ltd, was arrested after he failed to appear before the anti-corruption watchdog for the third time despite several notices.
A notice was served on him earlier to appear before the NAB Lahore office. However, he failed to attend the Bureau on required date. But Fawad Hassan Fawad, former principal secretary of deposed premier Nawaz Sharif had appeared before the NAB recently. Earlier, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif also appeared before the NAB office about two weeks back to respond to the queries of NAB.
The Bureau has been conducting an inquiry against the officials of the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), Lahore Casa Developers, Lahore Development Authority and others, said a notification issued by NAB Lahore.
The purpose of Ashiana Housing Scheme - an initiative of the Punjab government - was to provide economical and adequate residential facilities to the people with low-incomes and the government had invested Rs 2 billion while acquiring 672 kanal of land in the Muloani Harlan area near Darbar Baba Noor Shah. The NAB will produce him before a NAB court to obtain his physical remand, said sources.
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