NAB EB approves filing of 12 new references, investigations, inquiries

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board (EB) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday approved filing of two references, five investigations and five inquiries.

The majority of the officials against whom the references, investigations and inquiries were approved by the Executive Board of the NAB belong to Sindh government. The meeting of the Executive Board of NAB was held with the chair of its Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal here on Wednesday.

The Executive Board of the NAB approved the filing of corruption referenceagainst ex-provincial Minister of Sindh for Labour, Transport and Commerce Muhammad Adil Siddique who was ex-leader of the MQM and now in Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) for allotment of government land to their favourites in violation of rules and regulation and in misuse of power that caused a loss of Rs203.03 million (Rs203,0390,70) to the national exchequer.

The other main accused are ex-Managing Director Sindh Small Industries Corporation Mehmood Ahmed, ex-Regional Director Hyderabad Small Industries Corporation Sindh Muhammad Rafiq, ex-Regional Director Sindh Small Industries Corporation Syed Imdad Ali Shah, ex-MD Sindh Small Industries Corporation Ghulam Nabi Mehar, ex-Director Sindh Small Industries Corporation Ijaz Akhtar Memon, ex-Regional Director Sindh Small Industries Corporation Larkana Ghulam Nabi Khaloro, ex-MD Sindh Small Industries Corporation Larkana Syed Khadim Hussain Shah, ex-Regional Director Sindh Small Industries Corporation Larkana Umer Bukhsh Somoro, Proprietors M/s Delta Industries Fazal Qadir and Muhammad Altaf, Muhammad Saleem, Muhammad Nazim, Irfan Alam, Sajan Mal, Syed Shah Zahid Qadri, Liaquat Ali Sheikh and Tariq Hussain Magsi.

The Executive Board of NAB approved the filing of second corruption reference against ex-secretary Land Utilization of government of Sindh Ghulam Mustafa Phal, ex-secretary Law of Government of Sindh Syed Ghulam Nabi Shah, proprietors of M/s Zeeshan Builders Karachi Syed Furrakh Mateen and others for misuse of power and illegally regularization of the government land in violation of rules that caused loss of over Rs300 million to the national exchequer.

The NAB’s Executive Board approved five investigations that include against the officers and officials of the Board of Revenue Sindh, M/s Seri Sugar Mills Karachi, proprietors/Builders Education City/Valley near UUMHS Jamshoro, officials of Revenue Department Jamshoro, ex-MPA Nawab Sardar Khan Chandio, officials of the Board of Revenue of Government of Sindh and others.

The Executive Board of NAB approved five inquiries against ex-DG Health Dr Mukhtar Shah, Additional Director Operations Dr Akhtar Rasheed, officials of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare department, officials of the Government Printing Press, officials of the Sindh Government Land Committee of Land Utilization Department of Sindh government, Director General Railways Ghulam Muhammad Qureshi and others, management and administration of Rawalpindi Railways Employees Cooperative Housing Society, officials of the Sindh Government Land Committee of Land Utilization Department of Sindh.

The Executive Board of the NAB also directed to send inquiry against the administration, officials and others of Quaid-e-Azam Hydel Power Company to anti-corruption Punjab for appropriate action as per law.

The board also directed to merge the inquiry against ex-Chairman OGDCL Board Zahid Muzaffar, ex-MD OGDCL Board Muhammad Rafi and ex-MD OGDCL Zahid Mir with already undergoing investigations against the OGDCL.

The Executive Board of the NAB also decided to close inquiries against Management of Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power Company Ltd and others, Management of Sustainable Environment and Development Foundation Hyderabad and others, Feroze P. Bhandara and others, Management of Pak International Medical College Peshawar and others and M/s Shazada Security Company, Tehkal Peshawar due to lack of incriminating evidence at the moment as per law.

While speaking at the meeting of the Executive Board of the NAB, Chairman NAB Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said that eradication of corruption and recovery of looted money from corrupt elements is the top most priority of NAB. NAB’s faith is corruption free Pakistan.

He said the NAB during the tenure of present management has recovered Rs178 billion from corrupt directly and indirectly. “The performance of NAB has appreciated by Transparency International, World Economic Forum and PILDAT,” he said.

He directed all DGs of NAB to conduct all complaints verification, inquiries and investigations within the prescribed time of 10 months. He further directed all investigation officers and prosecutors to appear with full preparation in the respective Accountability Courts on the basis of solid evidence and pursue all NAB cases as per law.

He said that NAB’s overall conviction ratio in the Accountability Courts is about 70 percent. He said that NAB has arrested 45 accused persons in Modarba cases and their references are under trial in the respective Accountability Courts.