Another NHA scam accused arrested

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday made another arrest in National Highways Authority (NHA) scam, The News has learnt.

The bureau has arrested a former assistant treasury officer, Muhammad Ismail, after his name was pointed out by already under arrest accused NHA Director Shaukat Hussain. The NAB has accused Muhammad Ismail of transferring money by using fake signatures. Previously, the NAB had arrested NHA Director Shaukat Hussain and three others including Land Accusation Collector (NLA) Naveed Murad and two Deputy Accountants Hassan Mehmood and Muhammad Faroque over the charges of causing a loss of Rs 60 million to national kitty through bogus payments. The NAB had initiated an inquiry against the accused on a complaint filed by NHA chairman in 2017. The government had started a project of extension of Bahawalpur-Rahimyar Khan 273-km long road from 2003 to 2004. The accused in collaboration with each other transferred a huge amount of Rs 60 million as bogus payments for the land which was not purchased.