NAB authorizes filing corruption reference against ex-PM Gilani

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approved filing corruption references against former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and others for their alleged involvement in illegally awarding an advertising contract to Midas (Pvt) Ltd in violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules.

The decision was made during the bureau’s Executive Board Meeting, chaired by NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, in Islamabad on Wednesday.

Such investigations must not be considered as final.

Accoding to the details, a meeting of NAB Executive Board Chaired by Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal was held here on Wednesday and took various decisions, said a press release.

NAB would proceed ahead only after giving the accused ample opportunities to prove their innocence.

The details of the NAB executive board meeting (EBM) are as under.

The executive board meeting (EBM) authorised filing corruption references against former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Farooq Awan, former secretary Information Technology, Muhammad Saleem, former Principal Information Officer (PIO), Syed Hassan Sheikh, former Company Secretary Universal Services Fund,Inam Akbar, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Messrs Midas Pvt Limited and other officers/officials of the Ministry of Information Technology.

All the above mentioned accused have been involved in the alleged abuse of powers and awarding advertisement campaign contracts to Ms Midas pvt Limited in contrary to PPRA rues.

The illegal contracts inflicted Rs 128.07 million losses to national Exchequer.

The EBM authorised conducting four different types of investigations against Awais Muzaffar Tappi, former Provincial Minister, Sindh Local Government, Raja Muhammad Abbas, former Chief Secretary Sindh, Ghulam Mustafa Phal, Former Secretary Land Utilisation, Sindh, Ghulam Abbas Soomro, Former Secretary Land Utilisation, Sindh and others for illegally allotting hunders of acres Malir River Authority''s land, inflicting Rs 33,000 million losses to national kitty.

The Executive Board authorised conducting inquiry against the officers/officials of Lahore Development Authority, management of Nespak and others.

They have been accused of abusing authority and corruption in Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project,thus causing almost Rs 4 billion losses to national kitty.

The EBM authorised filing yet another corruption reference against former Director General Sindh Building Control Authority, Karachi, Manzoor Qadir Kaka and others as they have been accused of inflicting almost Rs 3 billion losses through corrupt practises, tempering with official documents and alleged abuse of authority.

The EBM authorised conducting inquiry against the officers/officials of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company, Limited and others for buying Rs 142.4 million soft ware from favourite company on higher rates and not using the software.

They have also been accused of the alleged abuse of authority, making illegal appointments, squandering the state money on domestic and abroad visits, causing heavy losses to the national exchequer.

The EBM approved conducting inquiry against vice chancellor Federal Urdu University of Arts , Science and Technology, Karachi and others for allegedly doling out PhD scholarships to favourite students, teachers in contrary to rules.

This caused Rs 115.673 million losses to national kitty.

The EBM authorised conducting investigations against Saqib Ahmed Soomro, member Land Utilisation, Sindh and management of Gulshan-e-Areesha Cooprative Housing Society and others for alleged illegal allotments of state land and inflicting over Rs 400 million losses to national exchequer.

The EBM authorised filing corruption reference against former Director Messrs Pak Com Sultan ul Arafian,Javed Fraz, Chief Executive , Messrs Pak Com and others for allegedly not paying Rs 21.64 billion license fee to the government.

The EBM authorised conducting inquiry against former Deputy Attorney General, Sindh Mazhar Ali Sehto and others for having assets beyond known sources of income and alledgly inflincting over Rs 350 millionlosses to national kitty by illegal appointment of favourites.

The EBM approved conducting yet anoteher inquiry against DG Monitoring, Audit , Accounts and Agricultural Supply Imdad Memon and others for inflicting Rs 30 billion losses to national kitty through alleged involvement in corruption and abuse of authority.

The EBM approved conducting inquiry against the officers/officials of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar for making alleged illegal appoints, abuse of authority and misappropriation in government funds.

The EBM approved inquiries against Bashir Dawood, Mriyam Dawood and others for their alleged involvement in illegal and dubious transactions.

The EBM authorised yet another inquiry against Metropolitan Corporation, Quetta and others for alleged grabbing of the government land by abuse of authority.

The EBM authorised conducting inquiry against Director Finance QUEST Fazal Shaikh and others.

They have been accused of buying laboratory equipments allegedly from favourite companies in contrary to PPRA rules and by abouse of authority.

The EBM authorised conducting inquiry against Dr Mubarak Ali, Principal Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan and others for inflicting Rs166.748 million losses to national kitty by alleged illegal appointments and misuse of authority.

The EBM directed conducting inquiry against Chief Executive National Rular Support Programme Dr Rashid Bajwa, General Manager Operations Dera Ghazi Khan Agha Ali Jawwad, General Manager and others for causing Rs 482.785 million losses to national kitty due to their involvement in misuse of authority, corruption.

The EBM authorised conducting inquiry against former federal minister Hafiz Abdul Karim, Usman Abdul Karim, Anas Abdul Karim, Dr Najeeb Haider and others.

They have been accused of making assets beyond known sources of income, admitting students in their illegal Indus International Institute and extorting heavy money from students in name of admission fee.

The EBM approved closing inquiry against Ministry of Housing and Works and others, vice chancellor Agriculture University, Faisalabad, Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan and others.

Justice Javed said that NAB not only considers the elimination of corruption as its national responsibility but also they (NAB officers) are making sincere efforts to make Pakistan corruption free.

He directed to conclude the verification of complaints, inquiries, investigations within stipulate time frame that too in light of relevant law and on the basis of concrete evidence.

He said NAB was strictly pursuing the policy of " Accountability for All.

" The first and last affiliation of NAB is with Pakistan and its people.