Daily Times

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi on Wednesday handed over a questionnaire to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal, who is being investigated for alleged misappropriation in Narowal Sports City project.

Speaking to media, Ahsan Iqbal, however, claimed he has not been quizzed about any corruption in the project but asked to give details about administrative aspects of the project. He said whoever contributed to the development of the country is a culprit now. “Narowal Sports City was built for the youth of Pakistan and it should not be made controversial when 90 per cent of the project has been completed,” he said. “It is an international-level arena with high-quality sporting infrastructure. We can offer the best sports facilities there. Is making such a project a sin?” he asked. “An inquiry should be launched into the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project which started off with Rs 1 billion but has reached Rs 100 billion. This project has turned the city of Peshawar into debris,” the PML-N minister insisted.

Commenting on Rana Sanaullah’s arrest, he said, “Threats and arrests don’t worry us. We are ready to get arrested. We will take it as medals but we will not surrender.

The PML-N leader said his party will not stop from exposing the failures of Prime Minister Imran Khan. “We are fighting for democracy in Pakistan as Imran Khan is trying to turn the country into a Musharraf-era democracy. However, his policies are worse than Musharraf,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal is accused of causing losses worth billions to the national exchequer by initiating the Narowal Sports City project in his home constituency. The PML-N leader is accused of starting the project – worth Rs 3 billion- illegally. Pakistan Sports Board is also accused of illegally using its authority for the construction of this project. In 2018, the NAB had announced to initiate a probe into alleged violation of rules in the construction of the project – just a day after its inauguration by President Mamnoon Hussain.