NAB closes inquiry against Wajid Shamsul Hassan, others

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday decided to close an inquiry against Pakistan’s former high commissioner to the United Kingdom Wajid Shamsul Hassan for want of incriminating evidence.

The decision was taken by the Executive Board during a meeting chaired by Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry. The bureau launched an investigation against the management of M/S Elysium Holding Pakistan Limited for alleged illegal sale of non-saleable allotment certificates of the DHA Ranches, Islamabad, in the open market without completing contractual obligations of transferring land to the authority.

The board gave green light for launching an investigation against the ex-Finance Secretary of Balochistan Mushtaq Raisani for involvement in corruption of Rs1.5 billion.  A few months back the NAB in a raid recovered Rs650 million currency notes in rupee, US dollar, British pound and Saudi riyal, prize bonds worth millions of rupees and 2kg gold from his house.

The board decided to file two corruption references. The first corruption reference will be filed against Rasul Khan Mahsud, director Pepco and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority to render illegal benefits to transformer manufacturers by issuing confirming exaggerate rates of transformers causing a huge loss of Rs6 billion to the national exchequer. 

The second corruption reference is against officers/officials of PHA Foundation and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for corruption in renovation of Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat, Islamabad and caused a heavy loss to the national exchequer. 

The board authorized an investigation against officers/officials of Ministry of Religious Affairs.  In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority in Makkah Housing Project for construction of three towers by M/S Dallah Real Estate thus causing a loss of 8 million dollars to the national exchequer.   

The second investigation was authorized against Dr. Basharat Hassan Bashir, DG, AEDB and in this case the accused is alleged for obtaining illegal appointment/extension in service in collusion with Chairman and Secretary AEDB and their illegal acts causing a loss of Rs31 million to the national exchequer.  

The board authorized an investigation against officers/officials of NTC and M/S United Construction (Pvt) Limited, Lahore.  In this case, the accused were alleged for misuse of authority and misappropriation/embezzlement of government funds causing a loss of Rs35.236/- million to the national exchequer.  

Another investigation was authorized against Director/Owners of M/S A.M Construction Company (PVT) Limited Faisalabad, officers/officials of Communication and Works Department and Others.  In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority, obtaining pecuniary advantages causing loss of Rs240/- million to the national exchequer.  

The board also authorized investigation against officers/officials of Revenue Department, government of Sindh and others for illegal consolidation/adjustment/exchange of thousands acres of State Land in multiple ‘dehs’ for the purpose of development of a private project, thus caused a huge loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer.  

The board decided to authorize five (5) inquiries as first inquiry was authorized against Zakir Hussain, Ex-VC, Registrar, Director Layyah and Sahiwal Campuses of Government University, Faisalabad and others. 

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for establishment of two illegal campuses of G.C. University Fasisalabad in Layyah and Sahiwal without approval of Syndicate and HEC.  The accused persons received illegal gratification and thus caused a huge loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.   

Second inquiry was authorized against management of Park View Villas/River Edge Housing Society Lahore and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for illegal occupation/encroachment of public passages and illegal extension of River Edge Housing Society in the name of Park View Villas causing a huge loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.   

The third inquiry was authorized against Ghulam Mustafa Memon and it has been referred by Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) of the State Bank of Pakistan reporting suspicious transaction against the accused u/s 31-D of NAO-1999.

The fourth inquiry was authorized against Ali Mardan Khan Domki, District Nazim of Sibi, Balochistan.

In this case, the accused is alleged for amassing assets beyond known sources of income forwarded by the Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) of State Bank of Pakistan u/s 31-D of NAO-1999. The fifth inquiry was authorized against Tahir Ismail of Rahim Yar Khan referred by the SECP.

In this case, the accused is alleged for cheating public at large by illegal brokerage activities causing a huge loss of millions of rupees to the general public.