NAB approves inquiry against Shaukat Yousafzai, Zehri, MNA Jafar Leghari

ISLAMABAD: The executive board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday allowed to file two corruption references, eight inquiries and similar number of investigations against a former chief minister, ministers, parliamentarians and others.

Reports said the NAB allowed inquiries against the KP Minister for Information Shaukat Ali Yousafzai and former chief minister Balochistan, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, besides holding inquiries against MNA Sardar Jafar Khan Leghari and Raja Khan Mehar. While it also ordered closing the inquiry against former chief minister Punjab and former federal minister Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo. The meeting of the executive board was chaired by chairman NAB, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, in which it approved filing of two corruption references, eight inquires and eight investigations.

The executive board accorded approval of filing references against Ahmed Hayat, former chairman, Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Syed Jamshed Zaidi, former general manager KPT, Khurram S Abbas, CEO, Karachi International Container Terminal, and others for illegally allotting state land, thus, causing Rs21.45 billion losses to the national exchequer. The board also authorised filing references against former chairman Balochistan Development Authority (BDA) Muhammad Farooq, director BDA Javed Khan and others over the charges of awarding the contract of clean drinking water project illegally that inflicted Rs984.86 million losses to the national exchequer.

The board allowed conducting eight inquiries against various people and institutions, including MNA Sardar Jaffar Khan Leghari, KP Minister for Information Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, Ahmed Nawaz former District Nazim Bhakkar, Hameed Akbar Khan GM Technical LESCO, Khalid Saeed former AIGP, Muhammad Anwer Virk, and other officers/officials involved in illegal allotment of state land, management of American International School System, MPA Raja Khan Mehr, Munshi Hayat, Sachal Mehar, Amanullah, Faisal Memon, Nadir Shah Amroti, officers/officials of local government department, district Ghotki, former minister for irrigation Amanatullan Khan, MPA Rana Abdur Rauf, former chairman MC Bahawalpur Rana Atif, officers/officials of MC Bahawalpur, PHA, and contractors.

The board also authorised conducting eight investigations against different people, including former chief minister Balochistan, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, officers/officials of KPT, officers/officials of Department of Archaeology of KP, management of BDA, P&D Department, former SSP Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Mukhtiyarkar Abdul Hameed Kato, officers/officials of Revenue department of Kashmore, former EDO Khanewal Dr Fazal Karim, and others. Meanwhile, the board also authorised to close inquiries against various accused, including former federal minister for industries and production Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, former senior joint secretary, minister for interfaith harmony, Ilyas Khan, deputy manager, SST Division, SEPCO, Sukkur, Nazir Ahmed Soomro, and others owing to absence of evidence.

The NAB executive board has also authorised sending investigations against the former MPA Chaudhry Masood Ahmed, officers/officials of Cholistan Development Authority, Revenue department, Liaquatpur, and others according to the existing law of the Board of Revenue, local governments. The ongoing investigations against owners/developers and others of Canal Garden Housing Authority, Bahawalpur, was endorsed and directed the deputy commissioner Bahawalpur for further action. While the ongoing investigations against Darius C Minwala and others were also endorsed and directed concerned officials to send the cases to FBR for further action.