ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday sought report from an Accountability Court regarding bail of former director general Lahore Development Authority (LDA) in Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme and assets beyond means cases.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam, heard an appeal of ex-DG LDA against the Lahore High Court (LHC), which dismissed post-arrest bail petitions of Ahad Cheema in April 2020.

Azam Nazir Tarar, representing Ahad Cheema, said the co-accused in this case had been granted bail. "My client should be treated like other accused."

Justice Mushir Alam said they would decide the matter after examining the report. The case was adjourned for two weeks. The NAB had arrested Ahad Cheema in relation to cases of the Punjab Land Development Company, popularly known as Ashiana Housing Scheme. The NAB claims it has plethora of evidences that Ahad Cheema has illegally allotted lands for the Ashiana Housing Scheme in Lahore.

According to a petition filed before the Lahore High Court, Ahad Cheema owns property and assets worth billion of rupees inside and outside Pakistan. In 2018, he had given Rs21.6 million as loan to one of his brothers, while investing Rs15 million in the United States with another individual. He also owns 2.5 kilograms of gold, which is in his wife's possession, while his annual expenses are over Rs8.4 million. He also owns another piece of land measuring 113 kanals. His three-kanals plot in Lahore's Baath village in Cantt is worth Rs20 million, and another plot in Cantt is worth Rs40 million.

There are other properties in his name as well, located in Model Town and other areas of Lahore, at a Cooperative Society in Islamabad, Hillock View Islamabad, and the Federal Government Employees Housing Scheme in Islamabad. He bought a plot in the FIA Employees Housing Society Islamabad, one in G-13, and two in Faisal Residencia Islamabad, on installments. Cheema also bought a plot in the LDA Avenue worth more than 10 million rupees during his tenure as the LDA DG, and also has cash, bonds and shares worth Rs14.5 million.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020