Interpol to bring Dar back for NAB

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday ordered to initiate 10 inquiries against alleged corruption in Punjab, Sindh and the federal government and it decided to get a red warrant issued for Senator Ishaq Dar to bring him back with the help of Interpol.

The decision to issue the red warrant was taken in the meeting of the Executive Board of the NAB with its Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal. The NAB Executive Board meeting stated that Senator Ishaq Dar, who is receiving medical treatment in London, had already been declared a proclaimed offender by the accountability court, which is hearing a corruption reference against him.

The NAB Executive Board opined that Senator Ishaq Dar was not suffering from any disease that could not be treated in Pakistan. Ishaq Dar has been declared a proclaimed absconder by the accountability court after the finance minister repeatedly failed to join the trial.

Following the decision of its Executive Board, NAB now will ask the interior ministry to contact the Interpol for the issuance of red warrant for Senator Ishaq Dar. Besides this decision, NAB has approved the inquiries against alleged corruption in the Multan Metro Bus Project and sale of an aircraft of the national flag carrier, the Pakistan International Airlines, to a German museum for peanuts.

The NAB’s Executive Board also approved the inquiry in alleged corruption in the Multan Metro Bus Project. The NAB’s Executive Board also approved the inquiry against senior officials of the Civil Aviation Division for alleged irregularities and corruption of billions of rupees as well as misuse of authority in awarding the contract for special baggage handling system at passengers’ terminal in the under-construction New Islamabad International Airport.

The NAB Executive Board has also given its approval for initiating an inquiry into the irregularities of over billions of rupees as well violation of PPRA Rules of 56 public companies of the Punjab. The NAB Executive Board also approved another inquiry against the New York branch of Habib Bank Limited, HBL headquarter and others for alleged money laundering, for which the US authorities had already imposed a fine of $225 million.

Another inquiry was approved against the chief of engineering of Irrigation Department, Sukkur, Arshad Ahmed Memon, for misuse of authority and alleged corruption causing loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. The inquiry was approved against Vice Chancellor Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, and others for alleged corrupt practices and having assets beyond means. Another inquiry was approved against officials of the North Sindh Urban Services Corporation for misuse of authority, corruption and causing Rs190 million loss to the national exchequer.