The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Multan Friday sent questionnaires to former Punjab chief minister and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, former law minister Rana Sanaullah, former MNA and political assistant to then Punjab chief minister Baligh ur Rehman in Cholistan Development Authority land case.
“An inquiry against officers of Cholistan Development Authority, ex-CM Punjab Shehbaz Sharif, ex-MNA/political assistant to CM Baligh ur Rehman and others is under process at NAB Multan in the matter of 14,400 kanals of land to 144 private persons as affectees of Lal Sohanara National Park,” a press release issued by the NAB said. “The said 14,400 kanals of land of Cholistan was allotted in year 2013 to 144 private persons by considering them as affectees of Lal Sohanara National Park, Bahawalpur,” the statement read.
“Allotment orders were issued by then managing director Cholistan Development Authority Javed Akhtar Mehmood without eligibility/locus standai of said 144 private persons,” it said. “But the fact is that these 144 private persons were not affectees of Lal Sohanara National Park as they never possessed any piece of land included in the park,” it maintained.
The park was established by government of Punjab in year 1972. Private occupants of the said land were accommodated by the then government by giving them alternate lands situated in Cholistan.
“Baligh ur Rehman helped these 144 private persons by recommending their application for initiation of summary for allotment of Cholistan land to them by considering them as affectees of park,” the statement read. “A summary was initiated by the Board of Revenue Punjab in 2012 for allotment of Cholistan land.
It was approved by the then chief minister Shehbaz Sharif without approval from the provincial cabinet as required by law. Rana Sanaullah as law minister endorsed the said summary without referring to the cabinet,” the NAB statement said. “A summary was initiated by the Board of Revenue Punjab in 2012 for allotment of alternate land to affectees of the park. It was approved by the then chief minister Shehbaz Sharif without its approval from provincial cabinet as required by the law,” the statement added. The NAB has asked all these persons to explain their position by providing relevant information as per their roles as the summary was approved by chief minister Punjab and not by the provincial cabinet. However, no call up notices were issued by NAB Multan to the accused.
