Murad announces to refer five more graft cases to high-powered commission

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed Monday announced that five more cases regarding irregularities committed in award of contracts by former Punjab chief minister Shahabaz Sharif were being sent to the high-powered commission, probing loans obtained during last 10 years and their utilization.

Addressing a news conference along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahazad Akbar here, he said National Accountability Bureau had already taken up these corruption cases, now “We are also sending these to the commission.”

He said Shahbaz Sharif had issued a notification in 2008  for appointment of  Mustafa Kamal, brother of PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, as Chairman of CM’s Horticulture Task Force, whom five contracts were awarded in sheer violation of rules and procedure.

The minister said the contracts included Lahore Metro, Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metro, University of Punjab Gujrat Campus and projects in Liberty market, which were awarded to Mustafa Kamal without floating any tender or bidding process.

Ironically, he said, payment mechanism had also been devised to ensure smooth transfer of money to the front-man in the name of different projects.