ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday arrested Civil Services Academy Director General Fawad Hasan Fawad from his Lahore office’s premises after he had failed to satisfy the investigation officers over his alleged association in the Rs14 billion Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam.
However, a local media report stated that the officer was chased and arrested by NAB without any strong evidence. Moreover, an independent inquiry into NAB’s operation can prove that. Prior to the arrest, Fawad was summoned by NAB several times where he was only asked about the involvement in the scam.
The report further stated that more charges have been added to the officer’s case only to keep him in bureau’s custody for months. The charges made against him include that in 2013, the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tahir Khursheed and Project Director Ali Moazzam to cancel the Ashiana contract with M/s Chaudhry Latif and sons, and award it to Kamran Kayani’s (younger brother of the then army chief General Pervez Kayani) firm.
Fawad is also alleged by NAB to have concealed the inquiry committee report declaring the award of the contract to M/s Chaudhry Latif and Sons as per the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules.
Fawad is also alleged of involvement in a case pertaining to the purchase of six mobile health units at exorbitant rates during his time as the Punjab health secretary.
On the contrary, Fawad’s side of the story negates the foundation of the case made up by the NAB against the officer.
In 2012, the PLDC tendered a scheme for construction of roads and infrastructure in the Ashiana Iqbal Project. Following that, the then chief minister Shahbaz Sharif received a complaint stating malpractice had occurred and the contract had been awarded to Ch Latif and Company through interpolation of tenders and malpractice.
After that, an inquiry into the matter was ordered by Shehbaz, carried out by the then secretary finance Punjab, Tariq Bajwa.
One of the complainants against the wrong award of the contract was a construction company owned by Kamran Kayani, the brother of the then COAS General Kayani. Following the report, the matter was to be referred to the Anti-Corruption Establishment for inquiry and legal action.
The anti-corruption department took action on the file of Ashiana Iqbal Project many months later. The PLDC had also cancelled the contract many months later when the PML-N came back to the office after 2013 elections. Fawad had nothing to do with the Punjab government by then.
NAB is alleging that Fawad got a contract cancelled to have it awarded to Kamran Kayani’s company in order to please the then COAS whereas Fawad’s recorded order had actually disqualified Kamran Kayani’s firm from the contract.
