Singaporean Company Mienhardt rebukes allegations related to Creek Marina

KARACHI: Dr Nasim Shahzad — the owner of Singapore-based company Mienhardt which is developing the Creek Marina residential project on the coastal strip of Karachi — has categorically rebuked corruption allegations levelled against him and his company with regard to the residential project.

Terming the case against him as "baseless" Dr Shahzad — a recipient of the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz and Hilal-e-Pakistan from the Government of Pakistan — has said that the accusations hurled at him are "lies" and an attempt by his ex-partner to hijack the entire project.

He has said that illegitimate influence is being misused for this and that his ex-partner has started a false and baseless media campaign against him, Mienhardt's executive chairman said.

Talking to The News, Dr Shahzad said that he has been falsely accused of receiving 29 billion rupees from the public for 250 flats and illegally transferring the money out of Pakistan. He said that a foreign audit company has prepared a report on this whole matter and there is a record of the banks according to which only 3.8 billion rupees have been received from the public in the Creek Marina project.

The company has spent more than nine billion rupees on the project so far, which is not being mentioned anywhere in the whole matter, Dr Nasim said.

He also accentuated that no media has shown the 32-story 3 towers that they have constructed, in which there are not 250 but more than 300 flats in ready condition.

Furthermore, the group owner offered that if they were allowed to work, they could complete the project in a few months and hand it over to the buyers.

In response to a question, the group's executive chairman said that for the last several years, the institution has not been allowing them to work because of the former partner of their company.

Three years ago, an inquiry was started against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and after the entire inquiry, NAB dismissed him, gave a clean chit but also gave a special shield for their transparent procedure.

However, their [Meinhardt's] adversary ex-partner filed a false case in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on the same allegations. Rs 3 billion in receipts were inaccurately reported as Rs 29 billion. Their key employees were arrested by the FIA and a false media campaign was launched to tarnish their international reputation and reputation.

Dr Nasim Shahzad said that despite being a citizen of Singapore, he loves Pakistan. He said that our company is completing the highest quality projects in 55 countries of the world, the most important construction projects are being given to our company in Dubai, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and India. Why will we leave such an important project unfinished in Pakistan? Dr Nasim Shahzad asked why should we delay the project by investing 6 billion rupees in our company. The real fight is not about the 250 flats that are already ready, the real fight is to grab this project from me, to take over the company's land, but this project is my dream.

Dr Nasim Shahzad has demanded the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Army Chief, and Chief Justice of Pakistan to take immediate notice of the abuse done to him and said that in the case in which NAB and FBR not only clear me but give letters of appreciation. 

However, FIA registered a false FIR in the same case and arrested all our important employees and they are being pressured to take false statements from them, so I appeal to Prime Minister of Pakistan Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa Isa to do justice and conduct an impartial inquiry into the matter and grant us the permission to complete the project.