Fake bank accounts, money laundering case: NAB Pindi summons Zardari tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The Combined Investigation Team (CIT) of the National Accountability Bureau, Rawalpindi, has summoned the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) President Asif Ali Zardari on May 9 (tomorrow) in the fake bank accounts and money laundering case.

 According to sources, the CIT, headed by Director General NAB Rawalpindi Irfan Mangi, has prepared a questionnaire that would be handed over to Zardari after interrogation in Harish and Company affairs.

The NAB has alleged that the company had taken a contract from the Special Initiative Department of Sindh government for water supply but no work was done on the project and funds were used to meet the expenses of Naudero House, causing a loss of Rs60 million to the national exchequer.

The NAB Rawalpindi has already filed a reference against the ex-secretary Ejaz Ahmed Khan, Special Initiatives Department Sindh government Hassan Ally Memon, Ali Akbar Abro, Aijaz Ahmed Memon, Athar Nawaz Durrani, Abdul Haleem Memon, Muhammad Farrukh Khan, Muhammad Ramzan, Muhammad Siddiq Sulemani, Zeeshan Hasan Yousaf, Harish, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid and Menahil Majid during investigation against the holders of public office, legal persons and others over the illegal award of contract.

Accused Ejaz Ahmed Khan in connivance with Hassan Ally Memon, Ali Akbar Abro and other procuring committee members misused their authority to extend undue benefits to the accused contractor Harish and Abdul Ghani Majid.

A costly plot was purchased in the DHA in the name of Menahil Majeed, D/O Abdul Ghani Majeed, which has been declared as the case property by the NAB.

The accused persons mala fide intentions and in connivance with each other recommended illegal award of contract for approval and extended illegal benefits to the co-accused and thus committed the offence of corruption causing Rs60 million loss to the national exchequer.

Sources said Zardari will also be interrogated in this case and on the basis of interrogation and relies a supplementary reference may be filed against him. So far, the NAB has arrested 12 key men of Zardari in the fake bank accounts scam who include Muhammad Umair, Muhammad Arif Khan (Suspicious transactions in the accounts of titled A One International, Summit Bank) Abdul Jabbar, Muhammad Shabbir (M/s Pink Residency), Sher Ali (HBL), Muhammad Farooque Abdullah (Ex-Area Manager and Branch Manager HBL—M/s Parthenon Private Limited of M/s Park Lane Estate PVT Ltd), Ex Director Land KDA Najam-uz-Zaman, Ex-Director Special Initiative Department M/s Harish & Company Hassan Aly Memon, Muhammad Hanif (Accountant of M/s Park Lane Estate Pvt Ltd and company secretary of M/s Parthenon Pvt Ltd), Muhammad Saleem Faisal (General Manager M/s Tracom Pvt Ltd (front Company of M/s Parathenon Private Limited, M/S Park Lane Estate Pvt Ltd), Muhammad Iqbal Khan Noori (Director of M/s M/s Parathenon Private Limited, M/S Park Lane Estate Pvt Ltd).