NAB rejects Cheema’s plea bargain offer

ISLAMABAD: NAB Chairman Ch Qamaruzzaman has rejected the offer of director foreign office Shafqat Cheema to return the looted money through plea bargain. 

Cheema will be presented before Accountability Court, Islamabad on May 30. NAB has sought all the accounts and record of tax payment in respect of Cheema from the State Bank of Pakistan and the FBR. Around Rs 50 million were recovered from the accounts of Cheema on the occasion of his arrest. He was working on Nepal, Bhuttan and Sri Lanka desks when he was nabbed.

The Foreign Office asked NAB to take action against Cheema on the charges of accumulating assets beyond known source of income. The documents of purchase of 125 acres land by Cheema near Gujranwala have also come to the light. He was alleged to sell 5000 machine readable passports illegally when he was appointed in Madrid and had sold one passport at the cost of 2500 euros. Ban was imposed on his promotion following this incident. NAB has extended the scope of investigation in this perspective and wants to bring to fore all accomplices of Shafqat Cheema.