LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau Punjab Director General Saleem Shahzad said on Wednesday the anti-corruption watchdog had been investigating cases purely on merit.
`Everyone wants accountability in the country but for others only, said the director general responding to the queries of media persons at the Lahore High Court.To a query about the ongoing investigations into Ashiana-iIqbal Housing Scheme, he said Lahore Development Authority former chairman Ahad Khan Cheema had a close relation with Paragon City developers, one of the contractors in the low-cost housing project of the Punjab government.
He said Mr Cheema received kickbacks from the contractor company in the shape oflands and got them transferred to his family members. He said more inquiries were under way against Mr Cheema, including LDA City project. He said the courts declared the arrest of Cheema lawful andgranted his remand to the NAB.
The director general also dispelled an impression as if the NAB had leaked any document relating to Federal Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq. He said Mr Rafiq was a respectable political figure and the NAB had regard for the self-respect of individuals. He said inquiries were pending and the truth would prevail.
He said there was a clear direction from the NAB chairman to ensure merit-based inquiries without any fear or favour.
To another query, DG Shahzad said the NAB had received most of the record from public sector companies establishedin the province,however, it still required more.
REMAND: An accountability court on Wednesday granted physical remand of four former officials of Punjab Saaf Pani Company to the NAB.
The arrested officials include two former chief technical officers Dr Zahiruddin and Nasir Qadir Baloch, former procurement and contract specialist Muhammad Saleem Akhtar, and former managing director Masood Akhtar.
The NAB accused them of committing misappropriation in installation of 116 water filtration plants in different parts of southern Punjab. The court granted remand of the suspects till May 2.
