Govt officer becomes approver against Shahbaz in multi-billion graft case

A senior government officer has become approver against former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, the younger brother of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, in a multi-billion corruption case.

Shahbaz, 66, who was the chief minister of Punjab province from June 2013 to June 2018, was elected as PML-N president in March after elder Sharif was disqualified as the party president following a Supreme Court verdict in the Elections Act 2017 case.

Pakistan's top anti-graft body, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), is investigating Shahbaz in three multi-billion corruption scams Punjab Saaf Pani Company, Punjab Power Development Company and Ashiana Housing Society.

The NAB has also summoned Shahbaz on August 20 in the three scams directing him to bring a relevant record to present before a combined investigation team of bureau.

Today, former chief executive officer (CEO) of Punjab Saaf Pani Company Waseem Ajmal turned approver against the alleged corruption of Shahbaz.

"In the NAB's custody Waseem Ajmal disclosed that Shahbaz had pressured him to award contracts to his (Shahbaz) favourite firm in violation of rules. Ajmal said most of the board of directors also opposed it but we had to follow Shahbaz's direction," a NAB official told PTI today.

The official said Ajmal, who is in NAB's custody, has agreed to become approver against Shahbaz and is ready to testify in the court.

The Saaf Pani Company scam is worth over Rs 4 billion.

Prime minister in-waiting Imran Khan has already declared that he would not let Shahbaz go off the hook in the alleged corruption of billions of rupees in different development projects in Punjab province.

Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz are facing a 10 and 7 year imprisonment respectively at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi in Avenfield corruption case.