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Tuesday March 19, 2024

37 arrested, Rs370.1m recovered in 2018, says KP NAB

By Akhtar Amin
January 02, 2019

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has arrested 37 accused in different corruption cases and recovered Rs370.1 million in 2018.

As per a report released by NAB KP, the bureau has directly recovered Rs370.1 million from the corrupt elements in 2018, which is 60 percent higher than the previous year.

The bureau has also completed investigations that have an impact on society at large including embezzlement of development funds, cheating public at large through fake businesses, mudaraba musharika, fake housing societies and fake investment opportunities.

“A total of 5735 complaints were received in 2018. The bureau successfully disposed of all the complaints,” the anti-graft body claimed.

In 2018, it said the bureau carried out 477 complaint verification. It 235 inquiries were authorised on the basis of findings in complaint verification.

“Out of 235 inquiries, 117 were completed in the jurisdiction of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and newly merged tribal districts. The bureau authorised 46 investigations into corruption cases and completed 41 investigations with a ratio of 89 percent,” stated the released data.

The bureau filed a total of 34 references in accountability courts. However, in the references filed in previous years, the bureau has been able to seek conviction in 16 cases in the accountability courts.

Following the principle of “accountability for all”, it said, the bureau filed references in mega corruption cases including against former federal minister Arbab Alamgir and former MNA Asma Alamgir on allegations of holding assets beyond known sources of income worth hundreds of millions of rupees.

It said that a reference has been filed against former advisor to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on allegations of cheating public at large.

A reference has been filed against Sahibzada Khalid, former chairman Pakistan Tobacco Board, and others for misuse of authority as the accused had illegally appointed employees.

The bureau also filed reference against former minister for labour Sher Azam Khan and others in 260 kanals land scam for building labour complex at Shahi Bala in Peshawar.

The bureau initiated inquiry of corruption cases such as Malam Jabba Resort, Bus Rapid Transit, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KPEZDMC) and Billion Tree Tsunami Project.

The report noted that NAB KP authorised 211 new inquiries in 2018. It said 101 inquiries were completed and 12 were closed. It added that 166 inquiries are still under process.

As per the NAB data, the inquiry against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the case of misuse of KP government’s helicopters is still under process. The prime minister appeared before the NAB KP investigators in Peshawar on August 17 in the case.

The inquiry against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz provincial president Amir Muqam for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income is also underway.

The inquiry against Caption (r) Muhammad Safdar, the son-in-law of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is also under process.

The case is related to the release of Rs9 billion funds in violation of rules and regulations.

The NAB report said that inquiry was also being carried out for making assets beyond known sources of income against Senator Usman Saifullah and his family members including Anwar Saifullah, Salim Saifullah, Humayun Saifullah, Iqbal Saifullah, Javed Saifullah, Jehangir Saifullah and others.

An inquiry against officials of KP Ehtesab Commission for their involvement in 170 illegal appointments is also under process.

As per the data, an inquiry against officials of Bus Rapid Transit project about corruption and corrupt practices is also underway.