1,584 individuals returned Rs2.02 billion to NAB

List includes former ministers, civil servants who availed Voluntary Return Scheme

LAHORE: In a bid to quash their respective cases and to avoid facing criminal charges, hundreds of fortunate ministers and top government officials successfully dry-cleaned themselves by returning billions of rupees as Voluntary Return (VR) to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) during the last one-and-a-half decade, documents revealed.

NAB’s documents, available with this scribe, revealed that top government officials as well public office holders (ministers/advisers) entered into VR with NAB after their corruption came to surface on the charges including corrupt practices, misuse of authority and misappropriation in funds.

According to documents, 1,584 individuals, including ministers and civil servants, had entered into VR agreement and returned Rs 2,022 million (Rs2.022 billion) from year 2002 to August 2016. They included 165 servants from the federal and 1,419 from the provincial governments.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, is hearing a suo motu case on Voluntary Return which is mentioned at Section 25 (a) of the NAB Ordinance 1999.

Section 25 (a) of the NAB Ordinance says, “Notwithstanding anything contained in section 15 or in any other law for the time being in force, where a holder of public office or any other person, prior to the authorization of investigation against him, voluntarily comes forward and offers to return the assets or gains acquired or made by him in the course, or as the consequence, of any offence under this Ordinance, the Chairman NAB may accept such offer and after determination of the amount due from such person and its deposit with the NAB discharge such person from all his liability in respect of the matter or transaction in issue.”

The next hearing of the case is due on Monday (today).

List of those government officials atop the VR list: 

Ali Hassan, Arshad Ali, Gul Hassan, Muhammad Rehan and Manzoor Ahmed returned Rs 336.28 million in 2012. In the same case, Ali Hassan Abro and Nadeem Ahmed Abro returned Rs 22.96 million in 2012. Ghulam Mustafa Lund returned Rs 120 million in 2016.

Ilahi Bux Rs 64.46 million in 2015; Suleman Mirani (Additional District Accounts Officer, Larkana) Rs 40 million in 2013 for embezzlement in GP Fund worth Rs 89.43 million; Ghulam Nabi Kalhoro, Abdul Hafeez Solangi, Hizar Khan Soomro, Shahbaz Dino and Tufail Ahmed Abro Rs 36.7 million in 2013; Tahir Mehmood Baig Rs 34.5 million in 2005; Tariq Khan, DFO Kohistan, Rs 34.26 million in 2015; Allauddin Rs 34.17 million in 2006; Manzoor Ahmed Rs 26.44 million in 2012.

Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa housing secretary Zakiullah and his brother Zafarullah Khan (former AIG Traffic Police) along with other accused had also settled their cases through VR by paying Rs 26 million for their alleged involvement in accumulating illegal assets worth Rs 150 million. His VR now has been recalled.

Zakiullah was also arrested by NAB in another case for his  alleged involvement in multi-million scam of Darwaza village, Nathiagali, Abbottabad by causing a huge loss to the public exchequer.

Nasir Bukhari, former Superintendent Education Department Balochistan, Rs 25.4 million in 2014; Khawaja Yousaf, , former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) National Productivity Organization (NPO), Rs 25.13 million in 2016; Ashique Hussain Memon Rs 25 million in 2005; Shahbaz Dino Rs 23.58 million in 2013; Ali Hassan Abro Rs 22.96 million in 2012; Masood Ahmed Sheikh Rs 22.52 million in 2005; Sikandar Ali Abro, former District Accounts Officer Hyderabad, Rs 22.36 million in 2013; Yousaf Khanzada Rs 22.36 million in 2013; Amjad Ali Rs 21.808 million in 2015; Daud Jan, former SE C&W Department, Rs 21.808 million in 2015; Ikram Ullah, Director PDA, Rs 21.48 million in 2016; Ijaz Rasool Ch, former GM NPO, Rs 20.47 million in 2016; Bashir Hussain Rs 20 million in 2002.

Raja Arshad Ali, former divisional engineer BT Project PTCL, Islamabad, Rs 20 million in 2002; Liaquat Ali Abbasi and Arshad Kareem, provincial employees, Rs 20.6 million in 2013; Shabbir Ahmed Malik, former food inspector Larkana, and others Rs 19.6 million in 2013; Altaf Hussain Soomro, provincial employee, Rs 19.57 million in 2015; Ibrahim Nohani, junior clerk District Accounts Office Dadu Education Department, Rs 19. 8 million in 2013 in three different VRs; Ibrahim Nohani, provincial employee, Rs 17.323 million in 2013; Sahib Khan Khushk, primary school teacher in Dadu, Rs 17.88 million; Ibrahim Nohani, junior clerk District Accounts Office Dadu Education Department, Rs 17.3 million in 2013; Muhammad Shoaib Rs 17.07 million in 2015.

Former DCO Mohsin Shah Rs 16.3 million in 2014 in two VRs (He was involved in misappropriation/ embezzlement of compensation money Rs 12.65 million meant for victims of bomb blast in DI Khan); Shabbir Shaikh, provincial employee, Rs 15.43 million in 2015; Azhar Ahsan Thanvi, DE BT Project of PTCL, Rs 15 million in 2002; Faisal Tariq Rs 15 million in 2016; Abdul Ghaffar Kalwar, food inspector, Rs 14.7 million in 2013 for Rs 29.8 million fraud; Iqbal Ahmed Rs 13.89 million in 2015.

Irfan Ullah, social mobiliser, Rs 13.54 million in 2015; Naveed Qadir Rs 13.5 million in 2014; Muneer Hussain Mangi Rs 12 .56 million in 2015; Javed Aziz, retired income tax commissioner, Rs 12.35 million in 2016; Muhammad Ismail, junior clerk Education Department Dadu, Rs 11.54 million in 2013; Muhammad Naseem Rs 10.9 million in 2015; Shabbir Ahmed Rs 10.176 million in 2013; Sharif Malik, former food inspector, and others Rs 10.1 million in 2013; Hamid Asghar, former store in-charge NFC, Rs 10.089 million in 2013; Saffar Kachiar, former District Education Officer Dadu, Rs 10 million in 2013.

Muhammad Azam, former executive engineer Lesco, Rs 9.961 in 2015; Khalid Mansoor Rs 9.85 million in 2013; Inamullah, former PS to senior minister Balochistan, Rs 9.67 million in 2015; Muhammad Sharif (Patwari) Rs 9.62 million in 2014; Iqbal Shah Rs 9.47 million; Iqbal Shah, former GM Housing and Works Division, OPF, Rs 9.4 million in 2013; Syed Iqbal Shah, GM (Housing & Works Division), Rs 9.4 million in 2013 and Dildar Ali Kalwar Rs 9.2 million in 2013.

Top former ministers, officials in the list: 

Arbab Muhammad Afzal Kasi – former additional secretary P&D Department and retired DG Mines and Minerals, who also served as member Balochistan Public Service Commission – returned Rs 135, 677 in 2009.

Syed Ehsan Shah, who had served as Balochistan finance minister and member Public Accounts Committee from 2002 till 2007, returned Rs 5 million in 2005. Later, Shah served as industries minister in the cabinet of former chief minister Aslam Raisani from 2008 till 2013.

In January 2016, NAB had started another investigation against him for allegedly misusing his authority for appointments in Industries and Commerce Department.

Mir Shah Nawaz Khan Marri, former sports and culture minister during 2008-13, had also entered into VR with NAB after being charged with misusing his authority in a case involving an amount of Rs 14 million.

Shah Nawaz is the son of Justice (r) Khuda Bakhsh Marri who served as Balochistan High Court chief justice from 1976 till 1977 and also governor.

Sardar Fateh Ali Umrani, adviser in the cabinet of former premier Zafarullah Jamali, returned Rs 1.4 million in 2004. In March 2016, NAB initiated three complaint verifications against Umrani for his alleged illegal occupation on private land through fake mutation and having assets beyond known sources of income.

Siddiq Sherani, former MD Balochistan Health Foundation, had returned Rs 444, 076 in 2014; former chief economist Planning Commission of Pakistan Dr Pervaiz Tahir Rs 150, 000 in 2005; 

Muhammad Israr, former DG Galiyat Development Authority, Rs 725,000) in 2015; Abdul Qayyum, former chairman Balochistan Textbook Board Rs 558,000 in 2015 in an inquiry when he was DEO Quetta; Javed Ahmed, former DG Provincial Housing Authority Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rs 2.4 million in 2014.

The list of those who have paid less than Rs 10 million:

Muhammad Alam Rs 8.93 million in 2005; Sohail Adeeb Bachani Rs 8.7 million in 2015; Zafar Iqbal (Patwari) Rs 8.07 million in 2011; Mian Hidayat Ullah, former Deputy Director PDA, Rs 8.23 million in 2015; Sahi Muhammad Rs 7.7 million in 2014; Mumtaz Ali Karejo Rs 7.17 million in 2014; Ghulam Murtaza, former XEN B&R, Rs 7.3 million in 2015; Sakhi Muhammad, primary school teacher Umerkot, Rs 7 million in 2014.

Tariq Hussain, sub-engineer, Rs 6.98 million in 2015; Ali Hussain and Liaquat Ali (Bank of Punjab) Rs 6.88 million in 2016; Riaz Hussain Khattak, former DOR, Rs 6.8 million in 2015; Aurangzeb, former secretary, Rs 6.76 million in 2015; Khalil Ahmed Mehar Rs 6.5 million in 2013; incumbent Director FIA CTW, Islamabad, Mazhar-ul-Haq Kakakhel Rs 6.5 million in 2014.

Ihsan Ullah, former EDO, Rs 6.4 million in 2014; Liaquat Ali, Rs 6.4 million in 2015; Imad Ali Kalwar Rs 6.3 million in 2013; Khair Bakhsh Ansari Rs 6.1 million in 2015; Bashir Ahmed Rs 6.1 million in 2016; Muhammad Khan Rs 5.9 million in 2015; Muhammad Ali and Zulfiqar Ali Rs 5.9 million in 2012; Muhammad Khan, sub accountant District Office Kamber Shahdadkot, Rs 5.9 million in 2015.

Manzoor Hussain Abbasi Rs 5.87 million in 2015; Saeed Rehman, former deputy director, Rs 5.85 million in 2012; Qazi Ahmed Jan, former deputy secretary Law Administration Department Balochistan, Rs 5.7 million in 2014; Muhammad Khan Shaikh Rs 5.35 million in 2014; Saeed Ahmed Zaidi, former XEN, Rs 5.3 million in 2006; Sultan Ali, sub-engineer, Rs 4.53 million in 2015; Abdul Ghafoor, DAO, Rs 4.53 million in 2015; Hussain Ahmed (Patwari) Rs 4.49 million in 2015.

Suleman Mehar Rs 4.8 million in 2014; Nadeem Shaikh Rs 4.7 million in 2014; Sardar Ali Khan, XEN PWD, Rs 4.45 million in 2015; Nazir Ahmed, SDO PWD, Rs 4.45 million in 2015; Tahira Yasmeen, Director LG, Rs 4.38 million in 2015; Sami-ur-Rehman, former section officer, Rs 4.38 million in 2015; Ghulam Akbar Lashari Rs 4.1 million in 2016; Safdar Ali Shah, former conservator Rs 3.82 million in 2013; Gul Qadeer Rs 3.7 million in 2006; Fazal Hussain, former tehsildar, Rs 3.63 million in 2013; Shahid Sohail, section officer, Rs 3.8 million in 2014; Badaruddin Channa, primary schoolteacher, Rs 3.45 million in 2013, Ashraf Khan, XEN C&W, Rs 3.2 million in 2015.

Talking to this correspondent about the VR option, NAB spokesman Nadeem Khan said that after the bureau accepted the evaluated amount under VR, there was no criminal liability against the person committing corruption. He said NAB always intimated the department concerned forthwith about their official(s) who entered into VR. “It is up to the department concerned whether to take action or not against those officials who opted to VR,” he added. 

Commenting on Sec 25 (a) of the NAB Ordinance, a senior official, seeking anonymity, said the provision might have been framed at that time to avoid years-long legal battles.

“You know, white collar crimes are hard to prove in the courts of law. I believe that’s why the VR option was incorporated at that time. On ethical grounds, there's no doubt that it is wrong to set a corrupt man free without initiating any criminal actions against him or her,” he maintained.