NAB closes inquiry against Ishaq Dar, ex-FBR chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday closed an inquiry against former finance minister Ishaq Dar and former chairman, Federal Bureau of Revenue, Tariq Bajwa in a case of double taxation agreement with Switzerland owing to lack of incriminating evidence at the moment.

At the same time, the NAB Executive Board approved an inquiry against Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif for misusing the prime minister’s helicopter.

A meeting of the NAB Executive Board was held with Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal in the chair on Wednesday and was attended by Deputy Chairman NAB Hussain Asghar, Prosecutor General Accountability (PGA) Syed Asghar Haider, Director General Operations Zahir Shah, Director General NAB Rawalpindi Irfan Naeem Mangi and senior officers.

The meeting accorded approval for filing a corruption reference against former chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Imtiaz Inayat Elahi and others on the allegations of allotting two cancelled commercial plots by abusing the authority, which inflicted Rs 200 million losses to the national exchequer. The NAB meeting accorded approval for filing a corruption reference against Liaquat Ali Khan, former director general Parks and Horticulture, Karachi Municipal Corporation, and others on the accusations of illegally allotting a plot reserved for welfare activities that inflicted heavy losses to the national exchequer. The meeting accorded approval for conducting eight inquiries against various personalities including Shahbaz Sharif and others, Riaz Lal Gee and others, Ali Sher Mehsud, former member NHA, and others, Malik Ahmed Khan, CEO Public Private Partnership Authority and others, officials of Rawalpindi Development Authority, Asadullah Faiz, joint secretary Health Ministry, officials of Small Dams Organisation and others, management and others of National Food Security and Research.

The meeting reviewed the closure of the Roosevelt hotel after hundred years and it was decided to review the TROs of a committee which was constituted by the government as per law. The meeting decided to send the issue of investigations against officials of NADRA to the Interior Ministry for further action. It also decided to refer investigations against officials of National Highways to Ministry of Communication for further action.

The meeting okayed closing inquiries against Ishaq Dar, Tariq Bajwa, former Chairman FBR, officials of Irrigation Department and Nasir Mehmood Abbasi owing to lack of incriminating evidence at the moment.

Speaking in the meeting, Javed Iqbal said corruption is the root cause of all ills being confronted by the country and a major surgery is needed to eradicate the menace. He said eradication of corruption is the topmost priority of the government. The NAB is pursuing the policy of corruption-free Pakistan. The NAB has no affiliation with any individual or political party. He said the NAB has so far recovered Rs 714 billion and the incumbent management has recovered Rs 487 billion directly or indirectly from the corrupt, which is a record.

He said the NAB’s performance has also been acknowledged by prestigious national and international institutions. He directed the regulators to play their role in checking the mushroom growth of illegal housing societies. “Media should also consider the layout, availability of land and NOC before running advertisement campaigns so that the poor could not be looted,” he said.