Lack of evidence: NAB gives clean chit to ex-PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board of the National Accountability Bureau on Wednesday gave a clean chit to the former prime minister, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, while closing the inquiry against him in Mandra-Chakwal road project due to lack of incriminating material/ evidence.

The meeting of the NAB Executive Board was held, with the chair of its Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, here.  It is to be mentioned here that ex-prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf approved the project during his nine months tenure as a prime minister but it become controversial and the NAB had initiated the inquiry four years back.

Meanwhile, the Executive Board authorised inquiry against officers/officials of the Punjab Sports Board for misappropriation of youth Festival Funds, thus caused a huge loss of millions of rupees to the general public.   

The Board decided to file two corruption references as the first reference was approved against ex-chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Syed Asif Akhtar Hashmi and others.

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for 777 illegal appointments in the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), thus caused loss of Rs774,730,403 to the national exchequer.

The second reference was approved against Azmat Hayat Khan, ex-Vice Chancellor (VC),University of Peshawar and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority and purchase of land for University of Peshawar at Aza Khel, Peshawar, at exorbitant rates, thus caused a huge loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.  

The NAB Executive Board decided to authorise four investigations as the first investigation was against CEO Iesco & others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for illegal investment made by Iesco with the Trust Investment Bank Limited (TIBL), caused a loss of Rs127 million to the national exchequer.

Second investigation was authorised against officers/officials of the Land Utilisation Department and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for corruption, corrupt practices and misuse of authority, illegal regularisation/ restoration of land allotment of M/s Zeeshan Builders, thus caused a loss of Rs300 million to the national exchequer.

Third investigation was authorised against officers/ officials of the State Bank of Pakistan and Bank Islami and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority in terms of non-transparent amalgamation of KASB Bank into Bank Islami, and grant of Rs20 billion concessional loan for this purpose, which caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. 

Fourth Investigation was authorized against Dr. Ihasan Ali, Vice Chancellor Abdul Wali Khan University. Mardan, KP.  In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority, embezzlement/ misappropriation of university funds allocated for procurement of various items/good,  caused a loss of Rs. 410 million to the national exchequer. 

The NAB Board decided to authorise three inquiries as first inquiry was against Nawab Muhammad Taimur Talpur, MPA, Sindh, alleged for accumulations of assets beyond known sources of income.

Second inquiry was authorised against dealers of Indus Motor Company Limited at Hyderabad/ Karachi. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for cheating public at large by misappropriating million of rupees from general public in lieu of booking of Toyota vehicles thus caused a loss of Rs250 million to the general public.  

The Board decided to re-authorise three inquiries as the first inquiry was re-authorised against the Management of KPT Officers Cooperative Housing Society and others. 

In this case the accused persons were alleged for illegal reclamation of additional land from seabed and its allotment, misappropriation of funds, award of second contract of dredging and illegal occupation of land reclaimed from sea, which caused a loss of Rs12,269,792,500 to the national exchequer.

Second inquiry was re-authorised against officers/officials of DAD, Sukkur Division, and in this case the accused persons were alleged for massive corruption and misappropriation of funds, which caused a loss of Rs2.91 billion to the national exchequer.

Third inquiry was against owners/managers of Creek Marina Project, Karachi and in this case, the accused persons were alleged for corruption and corrupt practices on account of cheating public at large, which caused a loss of Rs3.2 billion to the national exchequer.

The Board decided to close six inquiries for lack of incriminating material/evidence. These included inquiry against ex-Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Management of Federal Govt Employees Housing Foundation and others; officer/officials of  Provincial Highway Department Jhelum & others, Muhammad Ali Malkani, MPA & Minister for Industries and others, Shafqat Shah Shirazi, ex-MNA and Ejaz Shah Shirazi, ex-MPA District Thatta, Sindh & others, Bashir Dawood s/o Suleman Dawood and Mariyum Dawood & others.

On the conclusion of the meeting, NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said that the eradication of corruption is the top priority of NAB. It is committed to eradication of corruption by adopting the Zero Tolerance Policy.  

He directed all officers/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.