Lahore Accountability court summoned Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif in person on January 7.

Lahore Court Judge Amjad Nazir issued written orders.

Lahore court remarked Shahbaz Sharif  continuously absent from hearing of Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam case which is affecting the proceedings.

The court gave last chance to the opposition leader to ensure his presence during the next hearing.

Also Read: AC orders to freeze Shahbaz Sharif and family properties

It is pertinent here to mention that ten suspects including Shahbaz Sharif have been indicted in the case.

What is Ashiana Scam

The Punjab government’s controversial Ashiana housing projects, launched in 2010, have been the subject of much controversy and speculation over the years.

Main Accused

According to a January 16 National Accountability Bureau (NAB) notification:

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• Shahbaz Sharif accused of ordering the cancellation of a contract given to successful bidder Chaudhary Latif and Sons.

It led to the subsequent award of the contract to Lahore Casa Developers

Lahore Casa Developers, a proxy group of Paragon City Private Limited, resulting in a loss of Rs193 million.

He is also accused of causing a loss of Rs 715m and the ultimate failure of the project.

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• Fawad Hasan Fawad, the former principal secretary to the prime minister and a senior bureaucrat.

Fawad, while serving as implementation secretary to the Punjab chief minister in the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing project, misused his authority.

• NAB has also arrested Ahad Khan Cheema, former director general of the Lahore Development Authority.

Cheema was heading two power companies in Punjab prior to his arrest. The grade-19 PAS officer accused of misusing his authority to award the 14-billion-rupee contract to a favoured development firm.

In return, Cheema reportedly received 32 kanals of land which was then allegedly transferred to various members of his family, including his cousin and sister.

However, NAB claims the land bought with over Rs30 million transferred in to the account of one Paragon Housing Society.

Othe people arrested in the case include Bilal Qidwani, Imtiaz Haider, Shahid Shafiq, Sardar Saeed and Arif Butt. Saeed and Butt are currently out on bail.