LAHORE – National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has presented two culprits in DHA land scandal before an accountability court after exhausting physical remands.
The accountability department alleged both Hammad Arshad and Khalid Nazeer Butt of embezzling Rs 16 billion in Defence Housing Authority’s (DHA) land funds. NAB official accused the two of fraud that victimised around 26,000 locals including families of martyred army personnel. He said that further interrogations of the alleged criminals are ongoing.
NAB official demanded the court to extend physical remands of the two by 14 days. However, counsels for the defendants denounced the accountability department for “retaliatory action” against their clients. The court reserved the verdict in the case which will be issued later today.
Earlier in February, the NAB included former army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani’s brother Amjad Kiyani in investigation of the land scam. Amjad Kiyani in his statement had stated that none of his brothers is involved in the scam.
Amjad said that neither Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani nor Kamran Kiyani have anything to do with the case. Kamran is residing in Dubai and would present himself before authorities whenever called, he said.
Others arrested in the case besides the two are brigadier (retired) Javed Iqbal, colonel (retired) Sabahat Qadeer and Waseem Aslam. NAB is pursuing a corruption reference against Kamran Kiyani, Hammad Arshad, owner of Globaco (Pvt) Ltd and Muhammad Hussain among others pertaining to land allotments for development projects in DHA, involving Rs 16 billion.
