Kh Asif appears before NAB in housing society case

LAHORE: Former defence minister Khwaja Asif on Friday appeared before the Combined Investigation Team of the National Accountability Bureau, Lahore, in an inquiry against him related to establishing a housing society on the state land, selling plots in excess of the approved layout plan and land grabbing.

It has been learnt that the NAB investigator after questioning Khwaja Asif for more than an hour asked him to come again on July 17 with more relevant documents. Asif reached the NAB office after 11am and was welcomed by a number of PML-N workers.

According to the call-up notice served on Asif, the NAB has claimed that the evidence collected so far reveals that Asif prima facie established a housing project namely Kent View Housing Society in Sialkot, which has been operating illegally.

The bureau has asked Asif to explain what are the sources and total amount of funds invested in the project by him, his wife and son and other partners. The NAB in the call-up notice directly alleged Asif that he in collusion with the management of the housing society illegally sold plots in excess of the approved layout plan of 137 Kanals.

The NAB stated that Asif in connivance with the Revenue authorities obtained relevant approvals despite the fact that the society had illegally occupied the state land. It claimed that the former defence minister in collusion with the management of the society illegally occupied various pieces of land owned by individuals who never sold their land to the society.