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Thursday March 28, 2024

NAB KP recovers over Rs10m in six months

By Akhtar Amin
June 19, 2018

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has made 11 arrests in the last six months and recovered more than Rs10 million from corrupt elements in the province.

As per its quarterly report, NAB made 11 arrests during inquiries and investigations in KP.

In the same period, the NAB authorised 39 inquiries against the suspects out of which 25 were completed and three inquires closed.

Two inquiries about the use of the KP government’s helicopter by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and the leasing out of 275 acres of Forest Department’s land in Malam Jabba were also underway.

Former chief minister Pervez Khattak had itself appeared before the investigation team during his tenure and answered the questions put to him by the NAB.

A source in the NAB KP said that in the questionnaire about the use of helicopter, the NAB asked about the government and commercial use of the KP government’s helicopter, expenses of its maintenance and other issues.

On the direction of NAB chairman, the NAB KP had started investigations into the use of KP government’s helicopter by Imran Khan.

The sources said five officers, including one civil aviation officer and four administration officers had recorded their statements in the case.

The NAB was also provided the purchase agreement of the helicopter and the rules and regulations related to its use.

Reportedly, the KP government spent millions of rupees on Imran Khan’s use of helicopter.

The NAB also started an inquiry into the mega scandal of leasing out the Forest Department’s 275 acres of protected land in Malam Jabba.

The Malam Jabba forests were the property of the Swat ruler; however, after the dissolution of One-Unit status of Pakistan in 1970, the status of Swat and Chitral as the princely states came to an end.

Following that all the forests in Swat were handed over to the Forest Department.

On December 15, 1972, the forest lands measuring 270 acres were declared protected. Again on December 20-22, 1975, the land was declared a protected area of the department.

As per the record, the bureau had also authorized nine investigations against the suspects from January to March, 2018. However, the bureau completed 13 investigations during the mentioned period.

It said that one of the important investigations was against former director Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) and others, who were allegedly involved in illegal allotment of plots, cabins, shops, extra/additional areas and car parking by misusing authority in sheer violation laws, rules, regulations and by-laws.

It said that the inquiry and subsequent investigation revealed that ex-DG GDA with connivance of others made allotments in 2004 and 2005 in gross violation of GDA bylaws 2003 and GDA Act 1996.

It said that NAB carried out investigation against ex-deputy commissioner of Shangla, Dildar Muhammad Danish, and others for their alleged involvement in embezzlement of Rs123.8 million released for rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure damaged in flood in 2016.

During the three months period, the NAB had filed eight references in the accountability court, out of which the bureau was succeeded in getting conviction of four accused, while three were acquitted.

However, it said 194 cases were under trial in the accountability court against the suspects of corruption, misuse of authority, frauds or embezzlement of funds.

The NAB had made over Rs10 million in the three months including Rs0.133 million through voluntary return, Rs10.053 million through plea bargain and Rs0.834 million through court fine.

The bureau claimed that it had filed eight references in the accountability courts.

The bureau filed a reference of Rs500 million against Atiqur Rehman and others allegedly involved in illegal construction of Jinnah Medical Complex on the land of provincial government and Municipal Committee, Dera Ismail Khan.

In one of the references, the accused Bahrullah Khan and others were allegedly involved in illegal appointment of 250 individuals and misappropriation of funds through supply of substandard voltage stabilisers for tube-wells and embezzlement in POL..