NAB approves inquiry against Zardari’s company

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approved inquiry against the company of former president Asif Ali Zardari -- Zardari Group Pvt Ltd.

The NAB held its meeting Thursday with Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal in the chair in which approval was given for filing of four corruption references and three inquiries.

Besides approving inquiry against M/s Zardari Group Pvt Ltd, NAB also approved two inquires against ex-secretary to chief minister Punjab Imdadullah Bosal and MNA Nasir Iqbal Bosal and another inquiry against ex-CEO Zarai Taiaqiati Bank Ltd (ZTBL) Syed Talat Mehmood.

The executive board closed the inquiry against the officials and administration of the Punjab Renewable Energy Company Limited and also against the officials and administration of Quaid-i-Azam Wind Power Company and others owing to lack of incriminating evidence.

The executive board gave approval of filling of four corruption references and first corruption reference was against ex-principal information officer of the

PID Chaudhry Rasheed Ahmad and others over alleged misuse of power to make attempt of the withdrawal of Rs28.5 million from national exchequer with the collaboration of an advertising agency, but this attempt was foiled by the PARC.

The NAB approved the filing of corruption reference against ex-president Bank of Punjab Naeemuddin Khan accused for misuse of authority for inside trading with regard to shares of Bank of Punjab that caused a loss of Rs10.385 million to national exchequer.

The third approval for the filing of the corruption reference against ex-DG Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) Manzoor Qadir and others was approved for allegedly misusing authority for illegal allotment of the government land at Nehra Khyam in Karachi to M/s Friends Associates that caused a loss of over Rs3 billion to national exchequer.

The NAB also approved filing of corruption reference against Secretary Karachi Port Trust Officers Cooperative Housing Authority Ghulab Khan for alleged misuse of the authority for illegal allotment of land in violation of rules and procedure to favourites that caused a loss of over Rs110 million to national treasury.

On the conclusion of the meeting, Justice Javed Iqbal said taking mega corruption cases to logical conclusion was his top priority. He said the NAB was pursuing accountability for all policy vigorously. “All resources are being utilised to take back the looted money from the plunderers,” he said.