PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has expanded its investigation into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Housing Minister Dr Amjad Ali over allegations of possessing assets beyond known sources of income and irregularities linked to the province’s housing authority.
The inquiry has also raised questions about the multi-billion-rupee Mega City Nowshera project, which investigators reportedly found was planned on land along the Kabul River without the required transfer documents or possession records held by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Housing Authority.
According to details of the ongoing investigation, NAB has sought extensive documentation concerning the project’s land acquisition, financial arrangements, technical planning and joint venture agreements. The inquiry also covers property transactions involving Dr Amjad Ali and members of his family.
The allegations have not been established as proven wrongdoing, and the investigation remains ongoing.
KP Housing Mega City Scandal: Questions Over Land Ownership
A key issue in the KP Housing Mega City scandal concerns the legal status of the land earmarked for Mega City Nowshera.
According to the investigation details, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Housing Authority does not possess the land transfer documents or formal possession records for the project site.
NAB is reportedly examining the project’s original files, site surveys, land acquisition records and technical and financial documentation to determine how the development was planned and what legal arrangements governed the land.
Investigators have also requested correspondence and written records involving the provincial irrigation department, tehsil municipal administration, agriculture department and other relevant authorities.
The bureau has sought information about the joint venture with Leaf Private Limited, including notices issued under the Joint Venture Regulations 2021 and documents relating to the project’s implementation.
NAB Seeks Records of Agreements Between Housing Minister and Private Company
As part of the inquiry, NAB issued a confidential notice to former housing authority director Imran Wazir seeking details of agreements reportedly signed on February 15, 16 and 22, 2022.
The requested material includes complete records of the written agreements involving the chief executive of Leaf Private Limited and the provincial housing minister.
Investigators also sought the names and national identity card numbers of committee members who participated in a joint inspection on February 24, 2022. Notesheets and other written documents related to the visit were also requested.
The records are expected to help investigators examine the arrangements surrounding Mega City Nowshera, including the roles of the government departments and private company involved in the project.
Dr Amjad Ali’s Family Property Transactions Under Scrutiny
The NAB investigation also extends to properties allegedly owned or traded by Dr Amjad Ali and members of his immediate and extended family.
According to the details of the notice, the bureau requested information about residential, commercial and industrial plots, properties and units associated with 31 relatives, comprising 20 men and 11 women.
The requested information covers property purchases and sales, with investigators seeking details that could help establish the ownership history and financial background of the assets.
The notice also refers to a high-rise apartment at Warsak-I, where a flat identified as A04 on the third floor was reportedly allotted to the provincial minister’s daughter.
NAB subsequently sought further details concerning property transactions linked to the minister’s family as part of its broader examination of the allegations.
The inquiry reportedly includes claims that Dr Amjad Ali accumulated assets beyond his known income and arranged for relatives to receive appointments to important positions in the housing authority through allegedly unlawful means. These claims remain allegations under investigation.
Former Housing Officials Also Face Questions Over Residential Allotments
The inquiry has also brought past housing authority officials into focus over allegations of irregular residential allotments.
According to the report, the former secretary of the provincial housing department and the former director general of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Housing Authority obtained residential accommodation in circumstances later questioned by a committee.
The committee reportedly found that the allotments were contrary to applicable rules and regulations.
The matter forms another part of the wider scrutiny of administrative decisions and the management of housing authority resources.
Imran Wazir Confirms NAB Investigation
Former housing authority director Imran Wazir confirmed that NAB was investigating the matter.
However, he declined to offer a substantive assessment of the allegations, saying he could not comment on the issue at this stage.
The investigation into the KP Housing Mega City scandal remains focused on land documentation, project agreements, financial records and property transactions involving the provincial minister’s relatives.
Further findings will depend on the records obtained by investigators and the outcome of the ongoing inquiry.
