Ashiana case: NAB declares Shehbaz ‘innocent’

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Saturday declared Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ‘innocent’ in the Ashiana Housing Scheme case, holding that no evidence of corruption was found in the contract of the scheme.

This is the second major NAB case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in which he was found innocent. “The accountability court should decide on Shehbaz Sharif’s plea for acquittal- in the Ashiana Housing Scheme case- according to the law,” a report issued by NAB stated. It said there was no loss to the national kitty nor did Prime Minister Shehbaz get any financial benefit from the Ashiana Housing Scheme. “It is proved beyond any doubt that the treasury didn’t suffer any loss,” the NAB in its report stated.

The report added that, “No evidence of misuse of powers was found against Shehbaz Sharif.” The report stated that no aspect of malice was proven against the Prime Minister in the scam in any manner. Kamran Kayani, brother of former army chief General (r) Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, also didn’t cause any damage to the treasury, the report stated, adding that Fawad Hasan Fawad- the time Secretary Implementation to then Punjab chief minister Shehbaz- took no bribe to award the contract.

According to the report, Shehbaz Sharif had sent the Ashiana case to the NAB as per the law. Earlier, on May 11, this year, the NAB had declared Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shehbaz and others “innocent” in Rs7 billion references against them for assets beyond means and money laundering filed against them by the anti-graft body. (PPI)