Following in the footsteps of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has also put Kh Saad Rafique-famed Paragon City on its radar by initiating its audit and seeking bank accounts and other relevant record. Sources said the FBR has given a deadline of 4th April to the management of Paragon City for submission of relevant information. An audit from the financial year 2015-16 has been initiated by the Authority, they added. The Commissioner Inland Revenue of the Corporate Regional Tax office has sought record of the housing society under Section 170 of the Income Tax Ordinance.
It may be noted that the NAB has already summoned Kh Saad Rafique for his alleged corruption in Paragon City. It has also summoned his brother Kh Salman Rafique and Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Fawad Hassan Fawad to inquire about their alleged involvement in Ashiana Iqbal Housing Scheme of the Punjab government. Kh Saad had appeared before the NAB Lahore Bureau on Wednesday, followed by the appearance of his real brother and Punjab Minister for Health Kh Salman Rafique and Fawad Hassan Fawad on Thursday.
Earlier, Saad Rafique had informed the Supreme Court on March 10 that he was neither a shareholder of Paragon City (Pvt) Limited, nor had any link with Twin Towers at 1-Constitutional Avenue, Islamabad. The minister made the statement before a bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar who was hearing a suo motu notice regarding LDA City Housing Scheme.
Submitting a written statement, the minister said the owners of Paragon City were his friends but he did not have any shares in the company. "I have relations with them for the past 30 years and they are my voters and supporters," he added. Saad further submitted that he did help the company in acquiring a small piece of land for their housing scheme in 2010-12 and also received some commission against this service which was mentioned in his tax statement.
He categorically denied any link with Twin Towers at 1-Constitutional Avenue in Islamabad. He apprised the bench that he was owner of a firm named Saadain which provides consultancy services.