NAB to file corruption reference against ETPB ex-chairman

Islamabad :The Executive Board (EB) of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to file corruption reference against Syed Asif Akhtar Hashmi, ex-chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and others.

The Executive Board meeting of NAB was held under the chairmanship of NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, here on Wednesday.

The following decisions were taken during the Executive Board meeting: In case against Asif Hashmi, the accused persons were alleged for illegal investment with Highlink Capital (Pvt) Limited, causing a loss of Rs1.3 billion to the national exchequer.

The Executive Board decided to authorise four Investigations. The first investigation was authorised against Director/Guarantors of M/s Umair Steel Industries (Pvt) Ltd, Lahore and others.

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for wilful loan default referred by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) under section 31-D of NAO-1999 thus causing a loss of Rs52.290 million to the national exchequer.

Second investigation was authorised against management of M/sPower Pack Company and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for wilful loan default referred by state Bank of Pakistan under section 31-D of NAO-1999. They caused a loss of Rs164.826 million to the national exchequer.

Third investigation was authorised against Abdul Rauf Khoso, MPA (PS-18) and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority and assets beyond known sources of income and misappropriation of government land in connivance with officials of Revenue Department, District Kashmore at Kandhkot.

They caused a loss of Rs550 million to the national exchequer. Fourth investigation was authorised against Saeed Ahmed Jagrani, ex-director NARA Canal (SIDA) Mirpurkhas and others, officers/officials of NASRAT Division, Irrigation Department, Sindh and others.

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority, illegal appointments and substandard work of stone pitching at NASRAT Canal.

They caused a loss of Rs9 billion to the national exchequer. The Executive Board decided to authorise two inquiries. First inquiry was authorised against M/s Knowledge Kinetic Programme (KKP) Pvt Limited Lahore, officers/officials of Wapda and others.

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for irregularities in construction of Mangla Dam Raising Project (MDRP). Thus causing a loss of Rs4 billion to the national exchequer. Second inquiry was authorised against officers/officials of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and others.

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for acquiring the shares of MND Exploration and Production Limited by Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) at exorbitant rates in year 2012. They caused a loss of millions of rupees to the country.

The Executive Board decided to re-authorize an investigation against Inayatullah, FGS/Incharge PRC Sarib Quetta, authorities of Food Department and others.

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for corruption and corrupt practices, embezzlement of wheat bags from PRC Sariab, Quetta during the year 2014-15. Thus causing a loss of Rs278.70million to the national exchequer.

The Executive Board decided to re-authorise an inquiry against Noor Muhammad Laghari, former Secretary Special Education Department, Government of Sindh and others.

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for illegal recruitment, misuse of funds allocated for the purchase of uniforms and daily allowances of disabled persons.

Thus causing a loss of Rs250 million to the national exchequer. The Executive Board decided to close cases against Asad Qaiser, Speaker Provincial Assembly KP and Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, MNA Sialkot due to lack of incriminating evidence.

At the end, the chairman said that NABis committed to eradicate corruption by adopting Zero Tolerance Policy. He directed all officials of NAB to put in their best efforts in conduct of complaint verification, inquiries and investigations against corrupt in accordance with law, transparently and on merit. —