On Tuesday, Fawad Hasan Fawad, once the principal secretary to ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was officially included in the interim cabinet, a decision sanctioned by President Dr. Arif Alvi upon the recommendation of caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, as per Article 224 (1A).
In July 2018, Fawad was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over allegations of corruption connected to the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme and several other projects. He was accused of amassing illegal assets worth billions and favoring certain developers during the contract award process for the housing scheme, resulting in significant financial losses to the nation.
Despite the serious accusations, his plea for acquittal lingered unaddressed for nine months on the desk of the former chief justice of Pakistan, Asif Saeed Khosa. After completing 33 years of service, Fawad secured bail post-retirement in 2020, having spent 19 months in detention. The bail, granted by the Lahore High Court, necessitated the submission of surety bonds amounting to Rs10 million.
During the trial that commenced on January 21, 2020, Fawad’s legal representation highlighted the discrepancy in the alleged and proven values of Fawad’s assets. Eventually, due to insufficient evidence, an accountability court in Lahore exonerated Fawad and a few family members in February of this year.
Before his retirement, Fawad had a notable career, holding numerous significant positions including the director general of the Civil Service Academy in Lahore and the secretary to another former premier, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, particularly distinguishing himself as a formidable bureaucrat during the PML-N’s tenure. His roles spanned various departments such as excise and taxation, communication and works, and health, in addition to administrative roles in Quetta and Lahore.
In light of his appointment to the cabinet, caretaker Federal Information Minister Murtaza Solangi expressed his warm welcome on X (formerly Twitter), expressing eagerness to collaborate and leverage Fawad’s extensive knowledge and experience.”
