Liquor Case: NAB gives questionnaire to Punjab Chief Minister.

LAHORE (12-Aug-2020) The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has given a questionnaire to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar after which he withdrew from the NAB office. The Punjab Chief Minister answered the questions for one hour and 40 minutes. The NAB investigation team gave the questionnaire and directed to submit the answer. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had summoned him on the complaint of abuse of power. Principal Secretary Raheel Siddiqui also appeared before the NAB.

Earlier, the Chief Minister arrived alone at the office of the Punjab National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Lahore without any protocol. He was accompanied by no minister, adviser or member of the Assembly. The Punjab Chief Minister was asked to record a statement along with relevant documents. The NAB had received a complaint that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar had misused his powers to issue liquor licenses to the NAB Lahore Bureau. Received an application against the issuance of the license.

According to NAB documents, the law against alcohol is alleged to have paid a bribe of Rs 50 million to obtain a license. The private hotel had applied to the Excise Department for an L-2 category license for the sale of liquor. The private hotel did not obtain a 4-5 star rating license from the Punjab Tourist Department under the Pakistan Hotels Act 1976. According to sources, a policy was issued by the CM Office in 2009 regarding the licensing of 4 and 5 star hotels. Which was violated.

Only those hotels which have 4 or 5 star category under CM policy can be issued license. Under CM policy 2009, hotels which do not have this category will not be eligible for license. Excise and Taxation Department has issued license to private hotel in violation of CM Policy 2009. Excise department has issued license to private hotel in 2019 against the law. Private hotel also has Punjab Department tourist license at present. was not.

The Excise Department referred the case to the CM's Office three times and informed it of the seriousness of the matter. However, the CM's Office failed to withhold the license of the private hotel from the Excise Department. The Punjab Chief Minister appeared alone in the NAB without protocol and was not accompanied by any minister or advisor to the Assembly. Prior to the Punjab Chief Minister's appearance, security was tightened outside the NAB office and insignificant persons were not allowed inside.