Ahead of anti-govt rally, Pak NAB starts investigation into illegal sale of govt land to PDM chief Fazlur Rehman
Dec 12, 2020
Islamabad [Pakistan], December 12 : A Pakistan investigative agency has started a probe in a complaint filed against Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for illegally buying expensive land, hours before opposition parties under the banner of the PDM are scheduled to hold an anti-government rally in Lahore.
According to Geo News, the complaint has alleged that the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Rehman was given 64 kanal government-owned land after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif closed the general transport service department.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Saturday started an investigation in the complaint. The NAB source said land worth Rs 14 million was illegally given to the JUI-F for Rs 4 million. The timing of the investigation is being questioned by the JUI-F. It comes just hours before the sixth jalsa by the PDM against Prime Minister Khan government. Imran Khan had warned the opposition of legal consequences if the rally was organised.
JUI-F Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief Senator Attaur Rehman, however, told Geo News that the complaint is a lie and nothing will come of it.
This investigation too, like all other NAB investigations, will go into the trash, the senator said.
In September, NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had summoned Fazlur to answer allegations that he owns assets beyond known sources of income.
In the notice sent to the JUI-F chief, NAB KP had stated that Fazlur can be arrested if his answers fail to satisfy officials of the anti-corruption watchdog.
Earlier, Imran Khan had warned the opposition that police cases will be lodged against organisers.
In an interview to a private news channel, the premier said the government has decided against allowing the Opposition to hold the public gathering, Geo News reported. "We will file FIRs against everyone -- from the kursi wala to the sound system handlers but won't stop them [Opposition leaders] from going there," he had said.
