Sibtain Khan Resigns From Forest Ministry Following Arrest

The NAB Lahore had arrested Punjab Minister for Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries Sibtain Khan in a case pertaining to corruption and illegal award of contracts.

Islamabad (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 15th June, 2019) Punjab Forest Minister Sabtain Khan Niazi has tendered his resignation after being arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday.

The NAB Lahore had arrested Punjab Minister for Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries Sibtain Khan in a case pertaining to corruption and illegal award of contracts.

He will be produced before Accountability Court Lahore for grant of bail into NAB custody.

Sibtain Khan has resigned from his ministry following the arrest. He has sent his resignation to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

According to a statement issued by NAB, Sibtain Khan was taken into custody during an inquiry.

NAB said that Sibtain Khan had been involved in the illegal award of a multi-billion rupee contract for 500 metric tonnes of iron ore in Rajwah and Chiniot to a company of his choice called Earth Resource Pvt Ltd while he was the Punjab Minister for Mines and Minerals in July, 2007.

The NAB statement read that the contract, which deviated from existing laws, was awarded to ERPL through connivance with other suspects. The company was awarded the contract despite not having previous experiencing in mining.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Muhammad Sabtain Khan had won election from Punjab Assembly constituency PP-88 Mianwali-IV by securing 55,644 votes.