NAB okays references, probes on corruption allegations

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday gave a green signal to file a corruption reference against former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and ex-minister for water and power Liaquat Jatoai, who is now a senior leader of the PTI for abuse of power on appointing a consultant that caused a loss of Rs21.6 million to the national exchequer.

The NAB Executive Board also approved investigations against the Metro Bus Project, Multan, allegedly for illegal purchase of land and illegal awarding of the contract. The meeting of the NAB board was held on Wednesday with its Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal in the chair in which various complaints verification, inquiries and investigations were approved.

The NAB Board approved filing of reference against ex-prime minister Shaukat Aziz, ex-minister for water and power Liaquat Jatoi, ex-secretary Ministry of Water and Power, Ismail Qureshi, Additional Secretary Ministry of Water and Power Muhammad Yousaf Memon, ex-Joint Secretary Ghulam Nabi Mangerio, former Joint Secretary, Ministry of Water and Power, Umer Farooq, former Section Officer, Ministry of Water and Power, Air Marshal (R) Shahid Hamid, former Chairman Alternate Energy Board, Naseem Akhtar Khan, Former Secretary AEDB, Arif Allauddin, former Chief Executive AEDB and Basharat Hassan Bashir, former Consultatnt, AEDB.

They have been accused of illegally appointing Basharat Hassan Bashir as consultant in abuse of authority, which caused losses up to Rs21.6 million. The NAB board authorised investigations against officers of CDA, Messers Pak Line Estate Company Private Limited and others.

They have been accused of illegally allotting Forest department land to Park Line Estate Company Private Limited, which caused huge loss to national exchequer.

The board has authorised closing of inquiry against Managing Director, National Fertilizer Marketing Limited, Tariq Shafi Khan; General Manager Fakhar Zaman Ali Cheema at NAB end and decided to send the matter to relevant ministry for appropriate departmental level scrutiny and action on illegal appointments.

The NAB board meeting also decided to close investigations against former director Iqbal Academy, Lahore, Pakistan, Sohail Umer and others at NAB end and decided to send the case to the relevant ministry for appropriate departmental action as per law. The NAB board also authorised conducting inquiry against the EOBI management and officers of Bank of Punjab, Lahore. The EOBI management has been accused of illegally buying Rs3.8 billion shares of the Bank of Punjab.

The NAB board approved Rs177.794 million plea bargain application of Saith Nisar Ahmed son of Muhammad Latif and the application would be sent to the Accountability Court for final approval.

The NAB board meeting, however, approved inquiry against the former Chairman, Punjab Cooperative Board for Liquidation Mushtaq Anjum and others. They have been accused of illegal transfer of the Punjab Cooperative Board for Liquidation’s land, inflicting Rs53.93 million losses to the national exchequer.

The board also authorised inquiry against the officers/officials of Liyari Expressway Resettlement Project, Karachi. The officers have been accused of involvement in China cutting, occupying commercial and residential plots which inflicted Rs2,792 million to national kitty.

The NAB Executive Board alos authorised investigation against the officers/officials and others of the Revenue Department, Taluka Sajawal. They have been accused of illegally selling government land, causing heavy losses to the national kitty.

The board approved Rs11.9 million plea bargain application of Asad Zaheer of the Fateh Textile Mills, Hyderabad. The application would be sent to the Accountability Court for final consent.

The NAB Executive Board also approved closing inquiry against the officials of the Allied Bank Limited at the NAB end and decided to send the case to the State Bank of Pakistan for appropriate action against the Allied Bank as deemed fit as per law. The meeting authorised inquiry against former Syed Nasir Ali Shah MNA and others allegedly of transferring residential plots into commercial plots, which inflicted huge loss to the national kitty.

The NAB board authorised yet another investigation against Noor Ahmad Peerkani, former Director General, Quetta Development Authority and others. The accused have been allegedly involved in misuse of authority and cheating people at large thus inflicting Rs66.150 million losses to the national kitty. The board also authorised investigations against the management of Metropolitan Corporation, Quetta, and others for inflicting Rs270 million losses to the national kitty by abusing their authority.

The EBM approved conducting inquiry against Pehlaj Mal former Special Assistant to the Sindh CM. Pehlaj has been accused of having assets beyond known sources of income.

The NAB board also authorised investigation for alleged land acquisition for Multan Metro Bus Project and alleged award of its contract. It also authorised another inquiry against acting Managing Director, Multan, Waste Management Company, Imran Noor and Manager HR Aamir Maqbool and others.

They have been accused of illegal appointment of Imran Noor as chief financial adviser by abusing authority as such actions have inflicted Rs104 million losses to the national kitty.

On the conclusion of the meeting, the NAB Chairman, Justice (R) Javed said that NAB was trying its best to eliminate corruption from the country as corruption is cancer which should be uprooted. He directed NAB officers to consider elimination of corruption as their national duty and work for corruption free Pakistan by adopting accountability for all policy in letter and spirit. “No laxity in this regard would be tolerated,” he said.

It may be clarified that NAB authorises various complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations against the accused persons on alleged involvement in corruption and causing multi- billion rupee losses to the national exchequer which are not final at this stage.

The NAB inquiries, investigates and scrutinises accused to make complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations and provide ample opportunity to accused person to come with their point of view as per law.