LAHORE - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday filed a corruption reference against MNA Khawaja Saad Rafique, his brother MPA Salman Rafique and three other persons in the Paragon City Housing scam.
Both the PML-N leaders are among five prime suspects named in the reference filed with Lahore Accountability Court on Friday.
The other three accused persons are identified as Omar Zia, Nadeem Zia, and Farhan Ali.
An official told The Nation that Khawaja brothers are accused of collecting Rs 590 million from innocent people in the name of fraud housing project.
According to the reference, Khawaja brothers are owners of 93.6 per cent shares of the Paragon City Housing.
The accused persons allegedly got financial benefits in millions by acquiring 50-Kanal piece of government land.
“Khawaja Saad got financial benefits worth Rs 58 million while his brother Salman Rafique collected financial benefits worth Rs 39 million from the Paragon City Housing project,” the NAB official claimed.
Saad and his brother Salman were arrested by Lahore NAB in December last year and presently they are in Lahore’s Camp Jail. However, both the Parliamentarians regularly attended Assembly sessions since the Speakers of the National assembly and the Punjab Assembly had issued their production orders. Another accused Nadeem Zia named in this corruption reference is still at large.
The anti-corruption authority filed the reference after getting final approval of NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal. In April, DG NAB presided over the Regional Board meeting in Lahore and endorsed the reference that was later sent to the Chairman NAB for approval.
According to Lahore NAB, Qaisar Amin Butt and accused Nadeem Zia had established a company named Air Avenue Private Ltd in June 2003. A few months later, the company was converted into the M/S Paragon City Pvt Ltd.
Qaisar Amin Butt and accused Nadeem Zia had served as Directors of the Paragon City Scheme, whereas, both applied for approval of “Lay-out Plan” from Town Nazim, Aziz Bhatti Town for housing scheme measuring up to 7002-Kanals.
For which, technical approval was necessary and conditional in January 2005. But at the time of seeking approval, Paragon City merely owned land measuring 1085-kanals in its name.
During the NAB proceedings, it was revealed that Paragon City Housing Scheme still remains an illegal Project which has yet not acquired approval from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA).
“The role of Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique regarding embezzlement is referred as both accused persons obtained 20 developed plots in the society measuring 2-Kanal each which were taken as exemption against transfer of 50-Kanal land to the Paragon City,” the Lahore NAB claimed.
According to NAB, “Accused Khawaja Saad Rafique remains sole proprietor of Saadain Associates and accused Salman Rafique is sole proprietor of KSR Associates.
An amount of Rs 58 million was transferred from bank accounts of Executive Builders (a sister concern of Paragon City) to bank account of Saadain Associates, whereas, an amount of Rs 39 million were transferred from bank accounts of Executive Builders to KSR Associates.”
Qaiser Amin Butt was arrested by NAB in November who got recorded his statement of becoming an approver against Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia before the Magistrate in December.
“So far, at least 68 claimants amounting to Rs 549 million approximately have approached Lahore NAB against the management of the Paragon Housing Society,” an official said.
