Arbab Alamgir, spouse piled up wealth beyond means: NAB

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said on Friday that former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan and his wife Asma Alamgir had accumulated assets of Rs2.5 billion and this was the reason an inquiry was initiated against the couple.

The NAB press release noted that Arbab Alamgir was former federal minister for communications while Asma Alamgir was former MNA.

“Both the accused piled up assets worth millions of rupees during their tenure in their name and in the name of their dependents. The unjustified assets/properties worth more than Rs2.5 billion detected so far are beyond his/their known sources of income,” the NAB claimed.

The NAB press release provided details of the assets that Arbab Alamgir and Asma Alamgir owned abroad and in the country.  These included commercial units and four flats on 203 London Road Mitcham (CR4 2JD) in UK, apartment No. 1203, 3 Merchant Square near Edgware Road, Central London UK, Arbab Cooking Oil imported from Malaysia to Dubai, UAE through M/s AAZB General Trading Company (LLC), Dubai, and UK-based company M/s AA Enterprises (UK) Ltd London, UK.

The press release said the couple purchased millions of rupees of prize bonds, purchased luxurious vehicles, owned bungalow No. 332, Sector G-11/3, Islamabad, along with 10 kanal land at Mouza Shah Allah Ditta, Islamabad and a precious bungalow No. 2, Sector F-7/2, Islamabad in 2011.

The NAB claimed that huge and unjustified foreign bank transactions of Rs1441.69 million were detected as the accounts were in the name of Asma Alamgir. “As per details the first account was detected at Noor Islamic Bank Dubai/UAE where Rs121 million was found in Pakistani rupees. In the second account of S.C.B Singapore Rs 1058.19 million were found in Pakistani rupees. In the third account of S.C.B. Dubai/UAE Rs262.5 million were found in Pakistani rupees,” the NAB maintained. 

According to NAB, an inquiry against the couple was authorised on November 5, 2015. It stated that they were allegedly involved in accumulation of assets beyond their known sources of income. 

The NAB claimed that the matter was brought into its notice. “Taking cognizance of the matter, an inquiry was authorised to ascertain facts and collect requisite evidence regarding moveable and immoveable properties (inland & foreign) owned, controlled and possessed by the accused in his name and in the name of his dependents/benamidars,” the NAB added.