QUETTA: The National Accountability Bureau, Balochistan, has filed a reference against Maqbool Ahmed Lehri, an ex-Nazim and former chairman of the Quetta Development Authority (QDA), Ali Mohammad Baloch, a former director, and some other employees of the QDA.

According to a NAB’s statement issued on Thursday, the bureau had received several complaints against Mr Lehri for allegedly selling the state land in connivance with some QDA officials at cheaper than market price.

NAB during the investigation found that by misusing his authority, Mr Lehri had illegally allotted a piece of land to one Sultan Ahmed through Mr Baloch.

The land under a bridge on the Zarghoon-Sariab Road was earmarked by the government for the welfare of area people, a NAB spokesman said. By selling the land at cheaper than market price a massive loss was caused to the national chequer, it said.

NAB conducted a thorough investigation into the case and collected proof against Mr Lehri and Mr Baloch before filing the reference in an accountability court, said the statement.

Some PPP leaders described the filing of the reference against Mr Lehri, who had contested the election for a National Assembly seat on a PPP ticket, as political victimisation.

PPP leaders Mir Sadiq Ali Umrani and Mohammad Yousuf Baloch said several references had been filed in NAB courts against the party leaders.

“We are already facing such fake cases,” they said, adding they were not afraid of such tactics.

Mr Lehri also termed the reference against him political victimisation.

“I will not run away and will prove all allegations to be fake,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2014