Reference against Siraj Durrani: Karachi NAB seeks chairman’s green signal

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau, Karachi has sought permission of its Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal and the Executive Board for filing a corruption reference against the Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani after completing investigation against him for allegedly making assets beyond means.

The bureau has also sent the PIA’s case for approval of an inquiry with regard to ATR 42-500 that was illegally grounded by the senior management in April 2014, causing millions of rupees losses.

The NAB Karachi has also sent a case for approval of a supplementary reference against the PML-N Senator and ex-minister for port and shipping Senator Kamran Michael. It has sent these cases to the chairman for approval after holding the board meeting with Director General Brig (R) Farooq Naseer Awan in the chair.

The board was apprised that the accused had accumulated Rs1.6 billion which was beyond his known sources of income. The assets were held by the accused, his family and various benamidars who have been recommended for trial.

There are certain benamidars who are personal servants of the accused and his family. The regional board also sought the chairman’s approval for filing a supplementary reference against Senator Kamran Michael against whom further evidence was collected regarding his role in receiving Rs110 million bribe through bank accounts of his friends and benamidars through the illegal sale of plots of KPT Cooperative Housing Society. According to NAB, he purchased various properties in his brother’s name.

Subsequent to the completion of complaint verification process, the PIA case was recommended to the NAB HQ for authorization of inquiry. ATR 42-500 was illegally grounded by the senior management in April 2014 causing millions of rupees loss to the airline.

The plane would have been otherwise functional and airworthy with routine maintenance but it was grounded in violation of aviation regulations, with the intention of stealing its parts and rendering its status as scrap.

Approval was also sought for a formal inquiry in which the PIA awarded an illegal agreement to private logistics company M/s Leisure Cargo for utilization of its cargo space for 3 years from 2016 to 2019 at low and uncompetitive rates. The Regional Board appreciated the performance of NAB Karachi on successful disposal of mega cases.

DG NAB Karachi Brig (R) Farooq Naseer Awan appreciated the working of Combined Investigation Team in Bahria Town investigation in which evidence was established and submitted to the SC leading to recovery of Rs450 billion.