NAB arrests official for graft

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore Thursday arrested Chief Executive Officer of Furniture Pakistan (FP) in National Industrial Parks Development (NIPD) corruption case.

According to a NAB spokesman, the Bureau rounded up the accused CEO named Faisal Shamim on allegations of purchasing several kanals of land in Sargodha amounting to Rs5 million only over much higher rates worth Rs70.4 million and caused a huge loss to national kitty.

The spokesman said an investigation was underway in National Accountability Bureau Lahore against former CEO PIDC Khalid Mehmood Chadda and CEO Furniture Pakistan Faisal Shamim and others for illegally procuring land in Sargodha by allegedly misusing their authorities and through obtaining illegal pecuniary benefits through dishonest and illegitimate means.

Furthermore, he said being the CEO and member of monitoring committee, the accused Faisal Shamim purchased the land in violation of PPRA rules, terms and conditions specially designed for tender advertisement whereas the accused also signed the bids as well as the comparative statements.

Moreover, the land was purchased by ignoring the lowest bidder, the spokesman claimed. Faisal Shamim purchased the land in connivance with Khalid Mehmood Chadda from Muhammad Ashraf, who was not even the owner of the sold land into the bargain the property (land) was under charge of mortgage against defaulted loan of a private bank.

The spokesman said NAB Lahore has already arrested Khalid Mehmood Chadda and accomplice Muhammad Zubair after collecting evidences of embezzlement and gratifications for making a loss of Rs103.25 million collectively to national exchequer. Physical remand of Faisal Shamim has been obtained until 11th January, 2018 after producing him before Accountability Court.