Rs160m in graft case involving Elahi recovered: NAB

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore, has recovered over Rs160 million in a high-stakes corruption case involving former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and key C&W Department officials linked to alleged kickbacks in construction contracts.

NAB Deputy Chairman Sohail Nasir handed over a cheque of Rs36.8 million to Additional Secretary Finance Abdul Samad in the presence of Director General NAB Lahore, Amjad Majeed Aulakh.

A Reference (No06/2023) had been filed against Parvez and others (C&W Dept officials), pertaining to alleged corruption in different construction contracts. In this regard, the NAB Lahore has so far recovered more than Rs160 million from different accused.

Sohail said the NAB’s primary objective was to recover the national wealth from corrupt elements. Praising the NAB Lahore, he credited Chairman NAB Lt Gen (R) Nazir Ahmed’s vision for establishing the Accountability Facilitation Cell (AFC) to address the concerns of parliamentarians and business community. He said the AFC’s scope had been expanded to include national and provincial assemblies and bureaucracy. The chairman NAB’s people-friendly initiatives, including monthly open courts presided over by regional DGs, have bolstered people’s trust in the NAB.

Meanwhile, vowing to stay loyal to Imran Khan through thick and thin, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has said he was not worried even if more cases are made against him by NAB. “Twenty-five fake cases were made against me, make 25 more cases, Insha-Allah, I am still with Imran Khan and I will stand by him,” said Elahi in a video message on Wednesday.

Elahi, who has served as chief minister Punjab for two terms and as the deputy prime minister, stated that the NAB had spread fake and false news about him. “They kidnapped hundreds of government employees and beat them up for plea bargain,” alleged the former Punjab chief minister. “The money they have given is being falsely associated with me,” said Parvez Elahi who also remained in detention for nearly one year after the May 9, 2023 incident.

Parvez Elahi said that this was nothing but a lie, adding, “Neither have I committed corruption nor I have made any plea bargain”.