IHC acquits Ahsan Iqbal in Narowal Sports City reference

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal in the Narowal Sports City reference on Wednesday.

The verdict was announced by a two-member bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah.

During the hearing, the chief justice expressed his indignation at the investigation officer, saying that he could not tell the court till now where the corruption was committed. "Who will be responsible for the loss to the public welfare project?" he questioned.

Talking to the media after the hearing, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said that Imran Khan had constituted the fake cases to mislead the nation. "We bravely faced the cases and now these cases are meeting their end," he added.

He said that he would complete the project for the youth of Narowal. "Imran Niazi will pay the extra amount due to a delay in the project," he added.

Ahsan Iqbal, a former interior minister, was accused of causing losses worth billions to the national exchequer by initiating the sports city project in his home constituency.

According to NAB officials, the Pakistan Sports Board also illegally used its authority for the construction of the sports city. Fourteen stadiums were meant to be constructed as part of the Narowal Sports City project, which was initiated in 2009.

In April 2018, the Rs2.9 billion project was inaugurated by the then president Mamnoon Hussain. NAB had launched an investigation into the matter the same day it was inaugurated. It said that it had received a complaint of embezzlement.