On Saturday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) declared Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “innocent” in the Ashiana Housing case, Republic news reported.
NAB had alleged that Shehbaz and other accused persons caused a huge loss to national exchequer by awarding the contract of the housing scheme to a company without bidding.
Punjab Land and Development Company (PLDC) former director general Ahad Khan Cheema and former principal secretary to prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad were also accused in the reference.
An inquiry conducted in 2018 claimed that Shehbaz, then chief minister of Punjab, had unlawfully assumed powers of the Board of Directors of LDC, misused his authority, and acted in connivance with Fawad and others.
Accountability Court judge Sheikh Sajjad Ahmed heard the reference today.
In its report today, NAB said that no concrete evidence of corruption or misuse of authority was found during their investigation. The bureau said that inquiry was conducted twice, and no evidence was discovered supporting claims of wrongdoing.