LAHORE: Deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif failed to appear before an investigation team on Sunday despite being summoned by the National Accountability Bureau Lahore (NAB) in the Raiwind Road construction case.
This is for the second time that Sharif has ignored the NAB summons and opted not to appear before the investigation team. The summons was sent to him last week. The notice was also delivered to his residence at Jati Umra.
The first notice was served in April but Sharif did not appear reportedly because he was abroad to inquire after the health of his wife, Kulsoom Nawaz.
After his absence for the second time, NAB will decide the future line of action in a meeting of its executive board.
A NAB officer said during the meeting NAB will consider different actions under the law — including sending of another summons or filing of a reference, adding “there is a possibility of a reference being filed against Sharif next month.”
Sharif as prime minister of Pakistan in 1998 had allegedly issued illegal directions to local authorities to widen the Raiwind road.
Shehbaz Sharif was the chief minister of Punjab at the time. NAB alleged that those instructions were tantamount to influence-peddling for personal benefit that caused loss of millions of rupees to the exchequer.
The deposed prime minister on Sunday remained in Lahore at his Jati Umra residence. He also attended important meetings with key political figures, including Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
