Auqaf land allotment: NAB approves fresh inquiry against Shahbaz

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board (EB) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday approved fresh inquiry against Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and President PML-N Shahbaz Sharif allegedly in illegal allotment of Auqaf land during his tenure as Punjab chief minister.

Besides Shahbaz Sharif, the NAB EB also approved inquiry against Punjab Assembly ex-deputy speaker Sher Ali Gorchani, Punjab MPA Moshin Latif and Sindh MPA Ali Hasan Zardari.

The NAB EB held its meeting Wednesday under its Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal in which it gave approval filling of two corruption references, seven inquiries and five investigations.

The EB authorized filing two corruption references and first corruption reference against Dr Muhammad Amjad, Eden Housing Society and others and they have been accused of looting people on false promise of selling plot, consequently, inflicting losses of Rs25 billion to innocent people.

The NAB EB authorised filing of another reference against owners of M/s Karim Karobar Company, Karachi and partners on the accusation of selling wheat on higher rates, thus inflicting Rs80 million loss to national exchequer.

The EB authorised conducting of seven inquiries against Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Mohsin Latif and others, Ali Hassan Zardari, Sher Ali Gorchani and others, Rashid Ahmed, Chief Engineer, PWD, Gilgit Baltistan,M uhammad Tahir Pervaiz, former MPA, Punjab and others, officers and officials of Auqaf Department, LDA, Revenue, Civil Aviation Authority, FBR, Kashif Sahbai, Ahsan Sahbai, Shaheen Air International, Engineering and Air craft Maintenance Services’ owners.

The EB authorised conducting five investigations against various people including owners and directors of M/s Nirala MSR Foods Limited, Lahore, directors and others, owners of Mian Rashid Hussain Shaheed Memorial Hospital, Pubbi, Nowshera, officers, officials and others of Frontier Constabulary, management of Metro Corporation, Quetta, Engineer Maqbool Ahmed, former Secretary Mines and Minerals, Balochistan and others.

The NAB EB has authorised sending the case against CDA officers to provide additional benefits to messers PFOWA, Waheed Public Trust and Roots Millennium School to CDA for further action as per law.

It also decided to refer the case against officers/officials of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against appointment of Dr Nasir Ali Khan, Project Director Pak-Austria FACHHOCHSCHULE Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, Mang, Haripur to chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for appropriate action as per law.

The EB authorised sending case of Samiul Hassan Gillani, member National Assembly regarding nonpayment of taxes of Sami Town to FBR and matter of keeping illegal possession of 97 kanal of land to senior member Board of Revenue, Punjab for further action.

While speaking in the EB meeting, NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal said that NAB is pursuing the policy of ‘Accountability for All’. “The NAB is striving to recover the looted money from corrupt elements and eradicate corruption and topmost priority of NAB is to take the mega corruption cases to logical conclusion and all resources are being utilised to achieve the target,” he said.

He said the NAB has recovered Rs71 billion directly or indirectly from the corrupt and deposited in national exchequer. “The faith of NAB is corruption free Pakistan,” he said.