Punjab Cabinet express concern over the arrest of Ahad cheema

Lahore : A meeting of the Punjab cabinet which held in Lahore, here today, has expressed its deep concern over the arrest of Ahad Cheema, former Director General Lahore Development Authority and Chief Executive Officer Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power Limited and said that this arrest is unwarranted and illegal and NAB has illegally used its powers in this regard.

During the meeting of the cabinet which held under the chair of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, the cabinet members expressed their views that Ahad Khan Cheema is a dutiful, hard working and honest officer of the Punjab government and he is liked by many due to speedy and transparent preparation and completion of development projects in the province.

The conspicuous role of Ahad Cheema is especially important in the historic achievements gained by the government to rid the people of the menace of load-shedding.

The cabinet expressed its deep concern that an effort is being made to create hurdle in completion of such projects of public welfare which are the hallmark of the Punjab government by creating an environment of fear among the bureaucracy through such steps.

The cabinet members said that they strongly condemn such steps, including the arrest of Ahad Cheema, and added that they are standing with the officers becoming target of injustice and discriminatory attitude.

During the cabinet meeting, the services of Ahad Cheema for energy and other public welfare projects were unanimously lauded.

The cabinet opined that it’s a reality that at first, an inquiry is held in such cases and afterwards, the process of investigation is carried out and reference is filed upon its findings. Afterwards, charges are framed by the accountability court. It is a regrettable matter that while the process of inquiry has been started in the first phase of this case and NAB has only leveled charges, Ahad Cheema has been arrested without making it to the last three phases.

Due to it, the cabinet is of the view that the process of arrest of Ahad Cheema is reflective of discriminatory and partial treatment.

The cabinet meeting decided that Punjab government shall immediately approach the federal government on the issue of illegal arrest of Ahad Cheema by NAB and it shall be demanded that the federal government should play its role to ensure supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law.

It was also decided in the meeting to present this matter for discussion in the Punjab Assembly.

The Punjab cabinet also decided that Ahad Cheema and his family will be provided every possible moral and legal assistance. The cabinet also decided to constitute a cabinet committee in this regard.