Amassing assets beyond means: NAB files reference against former minister Arbab Alamgir, wife Asma Alamgir

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday filed a reference in the accountability court against former federal minister for communication Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan, his spouse former MNA Asma Alamgir and others for accumulation of assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

As per copy of the reference submitted in the accountability court and carrying the signature of the chairman NAB, retired Justice Javed Iqbal, it was revealed during investigation that the accused have accumulated huge assets worth more than Rs332 million, which were disproportionate to their legal sources of income.The NAB said it took cognizance of the case and started investigating the matter to ascertain the facts.

An official of the NAB said the reference pertained to the family’s assets in Pakistan. It pointed out that supplementary reference about its foreign assets would be filed after receipt of documentary evidence through mutual legal assistance with the concerned countries. “From the evidence collected during the investigation, it has been established that the accused allegedly through corruption and corrupt practices have acquired huge movable and immovable properties/assets to the tune of Rs33, 21, 91 528 in their names as well as in the names of their dependents/benamidars within the country, which are grossly disproportionate to their known sources of income,” the NAB maintained in the reference filed with the accountability court.

As per the reference, the inquiry was authorized on November 4, 2015 by the competent authority and converted into investigation on January 12, 2018.

The NAB said investigation showed that the accused have accumulated movable and immovable assets including House No 332, Sector G-11/3, Islamabad, 10 kanal land at Mauza Shah Alladitta, Islamabad, Bungalow No.2 F-7/2 Islamabad, prize bonds, Land Rover NX 111 and unjustified bank transactions.

About the foreign assets of the couple, the NAB informed that in order to requisition the relevant documents a Mutual Legal Assistance request as per law has been sent to the foreign authorities, but the response was still awaited.

It said the investigation into foreign assets would continue and upon the receipt of record it would be submitted before the court by filing a supplementary reference.