ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Shahbaz Sharif, the former chief minister of Punjab, in relation to a corruption case commonly referred to as the Ashiana Housing Case on Friday.
Sharif is currently the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League — Nawaz party (PML-N), and is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was recently released on bail after an accountability court sentenced him to 10 years in prison on corruption charges in July.
Shahbaz Sharif was arrested in Lahore when he appeared before an investigation team at NAB’s offices, to record his statement in another case — the “Saaf Pani” scandal.
Raja Riaz, an Arab News correspondent in Lahore, reports that security around the NAB offices in Lahore has been significantly increased and that the country’s paramilitary force, the Rangers, has been deployed in the area.
The Ashiana Housing Case involves government contracts worth billions of rupees allegedly being awarded unfairly by the provincial government on the instructions of Shahbaz Sharif when he was chief minister.
The anti-graft body has been probing the housing scam for several months. Previously, it arrested provincial bureaucrat Ahad Cheema, who was said to be close to the former chief minister.
In one instance, Cheema is accused of having awarded a Rs14 billion-contract to a company that was not technically qualified to fulfil it at a time when he was working as the director general of the Lahore Development Authority.
The media director of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Moshsin Iqbal, told Arab News that the National Assembly Secretariat had not yet been officially informed of the arrest.
According to Pakistani law, the authorities cannot arrest a member of parliament without first informing the speaker of the National Assembly.
According to the NAB press release, Shahbaz Sharif will be presented to the accountability court on Saturday morning.
The PML-N has already accused the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) administration and certain other state institutions of victimizing their political rivals.
Meanwhile some PTI leaders, including Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, have indicated that more arrests should be expected in the next week, although he told reporters in Jhelum that the cases in question were initiated by the previous — PML-N — government.
Chaudhry stressed that the NAB is a politically independent entity to which the government can only provide “organizational support.”
NAB arrests Shahbaz Sharif in Ashiana Housing case
NAB arrests Shahbaz Sharif in Ashiana Housing case
- Shahbaz Sharif is leader of the opposition and former chief minister of Punjab
- The PML-N has already claimed the ruling party is victimizing its political rivals
Nine killed, one child injured as avalanche hits house in northwest Pakistan
- Avalanche strikes family home in Arandu area of Lower Chitral district
- Heavy snowfall cuts off towns and villages across northern Pakistan
PESHAWAR/QUETTA: At least nine people were killed while an injured child was rescued alive when an avalanche struck a house in a mountainous district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said on Friday, as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned of more rain and snowfall in the area along with southwestern Pakistan.
The incident occurred in the Arandu region of Lower Chitral district, affecting members of the same family, as the PMD urged tourists to avoid unnecessary travel while authorities worked to prevent weather-related emergencies.
Rescuers evacuated dozens of residents and tourists as heavy snow blocked roads in Khyber, South Waziristan and Swat districts, where authorities cleared routes and provided food, clothing and bedding, the Rescue 1122 service said.
“An avalanche fell in Sarigal village of Arandu, a far-flung area in subdivision Drosh,” Deputy Commissioner of Lower Chitral Rao Hashim Azeem told Arab News over the phone.
“Ten people from the same family came under the avalanche in which nine were found dead and one child was rescued alive,” he added. “Police, Chitral scouts, rescue and local administration took part in the operation.”
Azeem said the rescue efforts were hampered by heavy snowfall and the area’s remote location, adding that the bodies were taken to Drosh for burial.
Heavy snow hit Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, and Galiyat, stranding vehicles and causing power outages, local media reported.
“The system causing rain/snowfall is active over northern parts of the country,” the PMD said in its advisory on Friday at noon, predicting more showers and snow in the next few hours.
“Tourists [are] advised to stay vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel during rain and snowfall,” it added.
TEMPERATURE DROP IN BALOCHISTAN
The PMD said temperatures in several in districts southwestern Balochistan province dropped to –9°C as a snowstorm with strong winds hit Quetta, Kalat, Chaman, Killa Saifullah, Nushki and Loralai, disrupting daily life.
“Dozens of vehicles including passenger buses have been stranded at N-50 highway near Muslim Bagh due to heavy snowfall since Thursday night,” Assistant Commissioner Muslim Bagh Dheeraj Kalra told Arab News.
“District administration accompanied by PDMA [Provincial Disaster Management Authority] Balochistan removed the snow from the N-50 highway and opened the roads for traffic on Friday morning.”
Meanwhile, PMD Balochistan Deputy Director Muhammad Afzal said the next spell of snowfall and rain would hit the southwestern parts of the country from Jan. 25 to 27 but will not be as harsh as the first one.
“The recent system of snowstorm entered Balochistan through the Iran-Afghan border which dropped the mercury to –9°C and this freezing temperature will continue till tomorrow evening,” he said.
Weather authorities this week forecast intermittent rains and snowfall in northern regions of the country between Jan. 21 and Jan. 24, with heavy snowfall likely in upper and hilly areas of the province.
Tens of thousands of tourists flock to Pakistan’s scenic north every winter to witness snowfall, often neglecting warnings from disaster management authorities.
In Jan. 2022, at least 21 people, including children, died after they were stuck in freezing temperatures during a snowstorm in the Pakistani hill station of Murree.
In view of the situation, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan on Friday directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to ensure that all highways remain open and fully operational under all circumstances.
“The minister has instructed NHA field staff to remain on high alert and to maintain 24/7 monitoring of weather conditions on highways in snowfall-affected areas,” the Pakistani information ministry said.
“He emphasized that ensuring uninterrupted traffic flow on national highways, particularly in upper regions, is a top priority.”
