National Accountability Bureau (NAB) claims that there are irrefutable links among Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Fawad Hassan Fawad and Ahad Khan Cheema, which enabled fraudulent and corrupt practices committed on a large scale. The NAB on Tuesday filed concise statement regarding allegations, documents and other material against Punjab ex-chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, Fawad Hassan Fawad and others. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat will take up the case today.
The NAB says that the decisions taken by Shahbaz Sharif on 21-10-2014 led to an agreement dated 27-01-2015 between LDA and PLDC enabling Ahad Cheema and Bilal Kidwai to indulge in further corruption and corrupt practices by awarding contract to SPARCO Group.
It was Mian Shahbaz Sharif's intervention that enabled SPARCO Group to obtain 2,000 kanals in lieu of constructing 6,400 flats in 1,000 kanals. The 2,000 kanals were actually valued Rs 23 billion, but their values was falsely shown as Rs 15.4 billion, allowing illegal gain of Rs 7.6 billion to M/S Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd.
An interim reference was filed on 22-06-2018 against six accused namely Ahad Khan Cheema, Shahid Shafiq, Bilal Kidwai, Imtiaz Haider, Israr Saeed and Arif Majeed out of which Israr Saeed and Arif Majeed Butt have become approvers. The supplementary reference was filed on 18-12-2018 against 13 accused out of Ch Shahid and Ch Sadiq applied to be approvers.
Shahbaz Sharif was arrested on 05-10-2018 and granted bail through impugned judgement on 14-02-2019. Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) was registered under Companies Ordinance 1984 to implement the Punjab government projects. The NAB claims that Shahbaz Sharif, who remained Punjab chief minister for three times, did not have a role in the operations of PLDC, except that the members of its Board of Directors are nominated by Punjab government and CEO was appointed from among a panel selected by Board of Directors.
The PLDC developed Ashiana Quaid Lahore, Ashiana Sahiwal and Ashiana Faisalabad, low-cost housing projects for low-income group, under the Government Finance Mode (GFM) i.e. financial costs were borne by the Punjab government. Ashiana Iqbal, Burki Road, was initiated and land measuring 3,100 kanals was allocated to PLDC by the Punjab government. Audit firm KPMA prepared the feasibility plan. According to it, the project was feasible for construction of 9,400 houses under the GFM. These 3,100 kanals are located adjacent to the land of M/S Paragon Housing Pvt Ltd.
In the bidding process, the lowest bidder was M/s. Ch A Latif and Sons who were awarded the contract for infrastructure development of Ashiana Iqbal, Lahore, on 24-01-2013 and mobilisation amount Rs75 million was given to the lowest bidder and the project was under the GFM. No other bidder filed a complaint before the grievance committee in respect of the bidding process within 15 days, as per Rule 48 of Public Procurement Rules 2004.
An inquiry committee was formed by the then chief minister, headed by the then Secretary Finance Tariq Bajwa on 25-02-2013 to review the bidding process and the contract awarded to M/s. Ch A Latif and Sons, though no complaint had been made prior to 25-02-2013.
The inquiry committee submitted its report on 05-03-2013 to CM Office with the conclusion that contract was processed as per PPRA rules and awarded to the lowest bidder; however, there are some procedural irregularities. For this, Fawad Hassan Fawad, the then secretary implementation, was receiving illegal gratification amounting to Rs 55 million in two tranches from Kamran Kiyani, owner of M/s Conpro Services Pvt Ltd, the second lowest bidder for which money trail is available.
These amounts were received through banking channels in the names of Fawad Hassan's brother (Waqar Hassan) and his brother's wife (Anjum Hassan). It also enabled Fawad Hassan to pressurise PLDC officials, by concealing report of inquiry committee dated 05-03-2013 to cancel the contract awarded to M/S Ch A Latif and Sons as evidenced by the statement of PLDC's officials and letters written by chief engineer PLDC and CEO PLDC.
This was despite the conclusion by the inquiry committee that the bidding was in compliance with the PPRA rules and only had procedural irregularities. The losses caused by it were; 2,000 kanals were due under the deal to Ch A Latif and Sons, which were not given, under the GFM the Punjab government was in profit of Rs20 million, Rs 5.9 million settlement with M/s Ch Latif and Sons, and cost escalation of Rs 3.34 billion, false valuation of 2,000 kanals shown as Rs 15.4 billion whereas actual value of land was Rs 23 billion, delay in the project and loss caused to low income applicants i.e. 6,100.
It also submitted documentary and the oral evidences that include the statements of Tahir Khursheed, former CEO of PLDC, Ali Moazzam Syed, Project Director of Ashiana Iqbal, Tariq Bajwa, convenor of inquiry committee, and Ch Amir Latif, owner of M/S Ch A Latif and Sons.
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