Interior minister black listed on Tuesday former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director Ahad Cheema from obtaining a passport due to the National Accountability Bureau?s investigation against him. Photo: file

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ISLAMABAD: Interior minister black listed on Tuesday former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director Ahad Cheema from obtaining a passport due to the National Accountability Bureau?s investigation against him.

Ashiana housing case: Punjab govt suspends Ahad Cheema

Suspension period will start from the day of his arrest by NAB and will last for three months

NAB is investigating allegations that Cheema, by misuse of authority and with criminal intent, awarded a contract of the Ashiana-e-Iqbal project of approximately Rs14 billion to Lahore Casa Developers ? a joint-venture which was ineligible for the contract. Cheema was arrested on February 21. 

An interior ministry?s notification stated that Cheema has been blacklisted due to the probe against him. Moreover, seven other citizens have also been put on the blacklist by the ministry.

Ashiana housing scheme case hearing

Earlier in the day, Lahore accountability court started hearing the Ashiana housing scheme case against Ahad Cheema.

Prime suspect Cheema among others appeared before the court. Prosecution informed the court that important data has been recovered from Cheema?s laptop and mobile phones, adding that further investigation of the Cheema is required due to newfound data.

During the court proceedings, arguments against Ahad Cheema and

Arguments regarding Cheema and another suspect Shahid Shafeeq were concluded, while arguments against other suspects are being presented.

On March 17, the Punjab government suspended Cheema from service for three months.

According to a notification issued by the Punjab government, Cheema?s suspension will start from the day he was arrested by the NAB and will last for three months.

Cheema, a grade-19 employee, was serving as the chief executive of Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power Limited when he was arrested.

The sources in Punjab Civil Secretariat said that notification of Cheema?s arrest was issued after approval from the federal government. 

Cheema was arrested after NAB detected illegalities and corruption worth billions in a deal between Paragon Housing Society and Punjab Land Development Company to construct the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Society, a low-cost project of the Punjab government.