LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a corruption reference against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal in the accountability court.
The text of the reference filed by NAB states that Ahsan Iqbal misused his powers in the Narowal Sports City project. He spent the funds of the federal government on the provincial project while former DG Sports Board Akhtar Nawaz Ganjira is also named as an accused in the reference.
It should be noted that Ahsan Iqbal was arrested by the NAB who was later released on bail by the court. Upon his release from jail, he was once again summoned by the NAB and asked to submit his passport so that he could not escape abroad.
Ahsan Iqbal misused his powers as planning minister, the NAB claimed. He illegally increased the cost of the Narowal Sports project and the cost of Rs. 3.5 crore project reached Rs. 100 million. Permission to increase costs was not sought from the Central Development Working Party.
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According to NAB, the PML-N leader misused his powers to build a sports city complex in which Rs. 6 billion was allegedly embezzled. The Sports City Complex was built on 44 acres just 800 meters from the Indian border, for which a special amount was set aside in the PSDP. All funds for the project were spent through the Pakistan Sports Board.
NAB maintained that Ahsan Iqbal gave the orders despite being aware of the non-appointment of the project director. The new management of the Sports Board had on 16th April drawn the attention of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, after which the Chairman NAB directed the DG NAB to investigate the foreign visits of Akhtar Nawaz Ganjira, the bureau added.
