RAWALPINDI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi chapter has filed a reference against former minister Ahsan Iqbal over ‘misusing powers’ in Narowal Sports Complex.
The NAB Rawalpindi chapter filed a reference in an accountability court, nominating Ahsan Iqbal, former director-general (DG) Akhtar Nawaz and Sarfraz Rasool, whereas, Asif Shaikh and Muhammad Ahmed were also named among accused.
As per record, Narowal Sports City (NSC) formerly known as Sports Stadium Narowal was initially conceived in 1999 on the directions of accused Ahsan Iqbal without any feasibility study. The project was initially approved at the cost of Rs34.74 million by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) headed by Ahsan Iqbal. In the same year i.e. 1999, accused Ahsan Iqbal illegally directed Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and NESPAK to enhance the scope of the project.
Accordingly, the scope was enhanced as per the said directions and resulted in enhancement in the cost of the project to the tune of Rs 97.52 million. Ahsan Iqbal not only enhanced the scope of the project but also personally indentified land for NSC project and provided specific khasra numbers to the PSB to acquire the land identified by him.
The project was shelved in the year 1999 by the PSB on the directions of M/o PD&R, on the grounds that the NSC project did not have the requisite weight-age with respect to economic necessity. The project was again started in year 2009 and approved at the cost of Rs732 million approx. However, the project was devolved to Government of Punjab in 2011 after the 18th constitutional amendment.
When accused Ashan Iqbal took over the charge of Minister PD&R in 2013, He illegally directed officials of his ministry to include NSC project in PSDP 2013-14 which was not included in draft PSDP 2013-14 as it was a devolved project and was also reflected in Annual Development Program (ADP) 2013-14 of Government of Punjab. Ahsan Iqbal by misusing his authority hijacked the provincial project in violation of 18th Constitutional Amendment and CCI decision dated 28.04.2011 with ulterior motives and made huge wasteful expenditure from federal government exchequer. Moreover, Ahsan Iqbal by misusing his authority illegally and unlawfully, without any justification increased the cost of project from Rs730 million to Rs3 billion (approx), by misusing his authority for personal political mileage.
