An accountability court in Islamabad has indicted PML-N MNA Ahsan Iqbal in the Narowal Sports City case. He has been accused of misusing his powers and embezzling funds.

He appeared in the court on Tuesday as the charges were read out against him. He has, however, denied them.

Iqbal, a former interior minister, is accused of causing losses worth billions to the national exchequer by initiating the sports city project in his home constituency.

According to NAB officials, the Pakistan Sports Board also illegally used its authority for the construction of the sports city. Fourteen stadiums were meant to be constructed as part of the Narowal Sports City project, which was initiated in 2009.

In April 2018, the Rs2.9 billion project was inaugurated by the then president Mamnoon Hussain. NAB had launched an investigation into the matter the same day it was inaugurated. The bureau said it had received a complaint of embezzlement.

Iqbal had challenged the reference against him and raised his reservations over what he has termed a ‘fake case’. The court dismissed his reservations and allowed NAB to continue the investigation.

Fake cases waste everyone’s time: Iqbal

The only purpose of fake cases is the character assassination of opposition members, said Iqbal while speaking to the media after the hearing. “The government is just wasting the court’s and everyone else’s time with such fake cases,” he remarked.

The government is only trying to hide their incompetence. “Such pressure tactics will not suppress us,” he added.