LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore granted on Wednesday the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to close a two-decade-old inquiry against PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif over alleged illegal allotment of twelve plots.

Judge Jawadul Hassan announced this verdict after hearing arguments of the NAB prosecutor. The anti-corruption watchdog shelved the inquiry pending for the past 20 years for want of evidence.

The prosecutor said all relevant record was completely gutted due to a fire engulfing the building of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA). There is no evidence to corroborate charges against Shehbaz Sharif, he said.

Moreover, the bureau said, two people, Mian Attaullah and Mian Raza Attauallah, named in the inquiry have passed away. The former Punjab chief minister had been accused of allotting 12 plots to his favorite persons. Lahore NAB had initiated the inquiry against Shehbaz and others in 2000.

Lahore Development Authority (LDA) acquired the land of Mozu Nawan Kot for Gulshan Ravi Society in 1978 and was to provide 10-marla plots in return. However, the bureau said, one kanal plots were given to favuorite persons against law. When NAB launched investigation, orders were issued for cancellation of plots. NNI