WWB ex-secretary arrested on graft charge

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday arrested Tariq Awan, former secretary of the Worker Welfare Board (WWB), on the charges of accumulating illegal assets worth Rs354.920 million.

As per the NAB’s communiqué, the matter was brought into the notice of the NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Taking cognizance of the matter, the bureau said an inquiry was authorised to ascertain the facts and collect evidence about the moveable and immoveable properties owned, controlled and possessed by the accused in his own name and in the name of his dependents.

During the course of inquiry, the NAB claimed it was revealed that the accused had acquired illegal assets while he remained posted against the key post of secretary WWB. It said the accused purchased precious movable properties that were disproportionate to his legal sources of income including 306 kanal and 10 marla precious land at Band Korai, 726 kanal of land and 5 marla land at Ketch, Agro Oil factory measuring 30 kanal, Rak Mandra, 200 kanal land at Rakh Band Koria,182 Kanal costly land at Qayum Nagar in Dera Ismail Khan, Plaza on plot measuring 12 marla at Khamboh, Peshawar, 40 Kanal precious land at Jandala, Islamabad, Luxury bungalow at Defence Housing Scheme, Dera Ismail Khan, 12 Marla Kamboh, Peshawar, Precious Flat at Dean Apartment Afzalabad, Peshawar, 14 marla plot of land at Maira Hyderabad, Peshawar, 1 plot of land at Regi Model Town Peshawar, six marla plot of land, Mahal Terai, Peshawar, House at Gali Loharan Wali, Dera Ismail Khan, Valuable Apartment at Fortune Residency, Sector F-11, Islamabad, six marla plot at Garhi Rahim Daad, Peshawar, 18 Marla plot at Tehkal Bala, Peshawar, two kanal and four marla land in Sheikh Raju, Dera Ismail Khan, four commercial shops at Spinzer Market, Dera Ismail Khan, 20 marla plot of land at Kamboh, Peshawar, 9 Precious commercial shops at 1st Floor, Gold Tower, Peshawar and 1.3 KG Gold.

It merits a mention that accused Tariq Awan has already been arrested by NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for being involved in corruption and embezzlement of funds. The accused will be presented before accountability court for obtaining his physical remand.