ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (Wednesday) dropped a corruption case related to construction of Narowal Sports City against PML-N leader and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal as National Accountability Bureau (NAB) failed to submit valid evidence against him.
The anti-graft buster initiated a corruption case against the 63-year-old politician in 2018, a day after the project was inaugurated the then president Mamnoon Hussain. He was also arrested in 2019 while an accountability court indicted him in 2020.
NAB had been claimed that the minister for planning, development, and special initiatives illegally started the project of Rs3 billion in Narowal which caused a loss worth billions to the national exchequer.
Iqbal misused his authority by illegally enhancing the scope of the project from Rs34.75 million to Rs2,994 million approximately, the anti-corruption watchdog alleged.
However, the PML-N stalwart had always denied all the allegations and had moved ICH to have the graft reference against him dismissed.
During today’s hearing, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah also reprimanded the NAB prosecutor for not presenting solid evidence against the political leader in the case.
When the prosecutor told court the project had benefited the people in Ahsan Iqbal’s constituency, the chief justice remarked if it is crime to benefit the constituents.
After hearing the arguments, the high court dropped the corruption case against Ahsan Iqbal over lack of evidence against him.
Ahsan Iqbal, four others indicted in Narowal Sports City corruption reference
