Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar
Anti-graft watchdog claims property intended for families of martyred soldiers, war veterans has been illegally allotted to civilians
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday announced it had initiated a probe against Punjab government led by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for the ‘illegal’ ratification of allotment of army land to civilians.
In a notice to the Punjab chief secretary, NAB has sought a reply on the allegations of the “illegal” allotment and the rules and regulations availed, adding that this matter should be treated a “most urgent.”
“The competent authority has taken notice of the issue and directed to obtain a report from the Punjab government regarding ratification of military land to civilian officials,” the anti-graft watchdog’s notification read.
This is the only the latest NAB probe against Chief Minister Buzdar; he is already under investigation for allegedly receiving Rs. 50 million in bribe to issue a liquor license to a hotel in violation of laws; for acquiring property, mostly in south Punjab, for his relatives and others; and for awarding various development projects to a “favored” contractor.
According to NAB, the incumbent provincial government is accused of illegally ratifying around 25 acres of state land intended for the families of martyred soldiers and war veterans under the Army Welfare Scheme to 47 civilian government officials.
These allotments had been made during former president Pervez Musharraf’s rule and were then cancelled by the subsequent Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)-led government. The PTI-led government restored and validated the cancelled allotments last May.