Lawyer of president Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif has been diagnosed with COVID-19 coronavirus on Tuesday.
According to details, Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry, Shehbaz Sharif’s lawyer in Ashiana Housing scandal has tested positive for coronavirus.
The revelation was made during the hearing of the Ashiana Housing scandal at an accountability court in Lahore, where Mr Nawaz – Shehbaz Sharif’s lawyer had asked for exemption from appearing in the case.
The court accepted Mr Nawaz Chaudhry’s plea for exemption form appearing in court and has adjourned the case till June 5.
Ashiana Housing Scandal
Ashiana Housing Scheme was launched by Punjab government in 2010 as as low-cost housing scheme Promising modest accommodation at knockdown prices, they attracted middle and lower-middle class investors desperate to secure shelter for their families as urban property prices increasingly went beyond the average citizen’s reach.
However, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has accused Shehbaz Sharif, former federal secretary Fawad Hasan Fawad, former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Ahad Cheema and various other individuals of financial irregularities in Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme.
Shahbaz Sharif is accused of ordering the cancellation of a contract given to successful bidder Chaudhry Latif and Sons for the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme, which led to the subsequent award of the contract to Lahore Casa Developers, a proxy group of Paragon City Private Limited, resulting in a loss of Rs 193 million.
Meanwhile Fawad Hasan Fawad is accused of misusing his authority by issuing illegal orders to the chief executive of the Punjab Land Development Company, Tahir Khursheed, to suspend the award of contract for the housing project to Chaudhry Latif and Sons – who were working on the project and were paid Rs70 million as a mobilisation advance. Whereas Ahad Cheema is accused of of misusing his authority to award the 14-billion-rupee contract to a favoured development firm.
