Appointments in PSO: NAB EB approves filing reference against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board (EB) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday approved filling a fresh reference against ex-prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, accusing him of misusing authority for making appointment of ex-MD Pakistan State Oil and DMD PSO in violation of rules that caused a loss of Rs138.86 million.

The NAB EB meeting was held under its Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal in which the approval was given for filing three corruption references, seven inquiries and two investigations.

Besides former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the other accused in the corruption reference included ex-MD PSO Sheikh Imranul Haq, deputy MD PSO Yaqoob Sattar.

The NAB EB also approved of holding of inquiry against senior PML-N leader and ex-federal minister Barjees Tahir, two MNAs of the ruling PTI Makhdoomzada Syed Basit Ahmed Sultan from Muzaffargarh and Sardar Nasarullah Khan Dereshak from Rajanpur.

The NAB EB approved filing of reference against seven officials of the Sindh government, including ex-senior member of Board of Revenue Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha, ex-secretary Land Utilization Abdul Subhan Memon, ex-District Officer Revenue Hyderabad Muhammad Salik, ex-Mukhtiarkar Revenue Guda Hussain Abro, ex-supervisor Imtiaz Solangi, Qadir Buksh and Muhammad Saleem allegedly for illegal allotment of government land that caused a loss of Rs120 million to the national exchequer.

The NAB EB also approved filing of corruption reference against Ghulam Mustafa Phal, ex-DC Malir Qazi Jan Muhammad, ex-Secretary Land Utilization Sindh Abdul Subhan, ex-Assistant Commissioner Bin Qasim Town Malir Muhammad Arif Kalwar, ex-Mukhtiarkar Tufail Ahmed, ex-Mukhtiarkar Zulfiqar Ali Mangi and ex-Mukhtiarkar Rao Muhammad Ayub allegedly for illegal allotment of the government land that caused a loss of Rs40 million.

The NAB EB approved holding of the inquiries against the senior leader of the PML-N and ex-federal minister on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Barjees Tahir, Saleem Goraya and others, PTI legislator Makhdoomzada Syed Basit Sultan from Muzaffargarh, Sardar Nasarullah Dereshak from Rajanpur and others, ex-MD Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation Khalid Sajjad Kokhar and others, owners of Canal Garden Housing Scheme Zaman Road Bhawalpur, officials of the Punjab Bio-Energy Company and administration and officials of the South Punjab Fareast Company.

The NAB EB approved two investigations as first investigation against Assistant to Chief Minister Sindh Pehlaj Mal and second against the owners of Altamish Medical Society, officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority and others.

The NAB EB approved closing inquiry against Rehman Medical Collage due to lack of evidence. It also approved to refer the inquiry against the officials of the Ministry of Privatisation, PTCL and M/s Etisalat and others to the government to examine the accusation and give its opinion to the NAB so that the executive Board could take a future line of action according to law.

On the conclusion of the meeting, NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said that the NAB believes in “Corruption Free Pakistan” and bureau’s foremost policy is to take mega corruption cases to logical conclusion,” he said.

He said NAB performance has been lauded by prestigious national and international institutions and the recent report of the World Economic Forum has lauded the awareness and prevention policy of the NAB, which is an honour for NAB. “Faith of NAB is corruption free Pakistan,” he said. "The overall conviction ratio of bureau is 70 percent and the NAB has filed 630 corruption cases in last 26 months in different accountability courts,” he said.