LAHORE: The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has arrested PML-N MNA Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf in a land fraud case.

ACE Director General Nadeem Sarwar said on Tuesday that Chaudhry Ashraf had grabbed over 157 acres of state land by forgery and fraud in connivance with Patwari Muhammad Saleem and Gardawar Riast Ali.

“MNA Ashraf has been arrested in Sahiwal after allegations of land grabbing proved against him,” he said and added that suspect Ashraf grabbed the state land by showing Sharif Ahmed Hashmi as a fake allottee of the state land. A case has been registered against the suspects.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the arrest of his party MNA saying the ACE has taken the action against Mr Ashraf at the behest of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan.

The premier said Mr Khan during his tenure as prime minister unleashed the NAB and FIA against his political opponents and is now using the ACE. He said this ‘political victimisation’ had to be stopped.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2022