Pakistan's anti-graft body summons Fawad Chaudhry for involvement in dual carriageway project

PTI Updated: November 11, 2023 17:17 IST

Islamabad, Nov 11 (PTI) Fawad Chaudhry, a former federal minister and an ex-member of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's party, has been summoned by the country's accountability watchdog for his alleged involvement in a dual carriageway project.
     The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday directed Chaudhry to appear before a joint investigation team at the bureau's Rawalpindi office at 10 am on November 13, The Express Tribune newspaper reported on Saturday.
     According to the NAB, a preliminary inquiry found that Chaudhry allegedly exerted undue political influence in the planning of the Jhelum-Pind Dadan Khan dual carriageway project during his tenure as a federal minister.
     It also alleged that the former federal minister for information and broadcasting unlawfully gained advantages from the contractor and their associates, the report said.
     "Furthermore, you, along with other members of your family, acquired land along the dual carriageway project. During the land acquisition for this project, a significant loss was incurred by the national exchequer," the NAB summons said.
     Last week, Chaudhry was arrested from his Islamabad residence after a district and sessions court sent the former minister to jail on a 14-day judicial remand in a case registered against him for allegedly taking a bribe from a citizen.
     Chaudhry, a former senior leader of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, left the party in the wake of the May 9 unrest, sparked by the PTI chief's arrest at the Islamabad High Court premises.
     He was amongst the thousands of party workers arrested during the crackdown after the May 9 violent incidents following Khan's arrest in an alleged corruption case.
     Chaudhry subsequently joined the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party, headed by Khan's close political aide Jahangir Tareen, in June this year.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)