Malam Jabba scam: NAB disposes of case without further action

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) took three-and-a-half years to complete the investigation into the Malam Jabba scandal and the case was disposed of without any further action. NAB has directed that the case should be referred to KP Chief Secretary for an investigation into irregularities in the awarding of the contract.

The Malam Jabba scandal surfaced on January 7, 2018. The NAB chairman, after declaring it a classic example of corruption and misuse of authority, ordered an inquiry on January 9, 2018. The glimpse of the Malam Jabba scandal is very interesting. The provincial government was given ample time to rectify the irregularities.

Serious questions are being raised over the NAB's performance if there was nothing found in the case, why the case was kept pending for three-and-a-half years.

Another important aspect of the case is that, in 2020 on the direction of Peshawar High Court, a high-level official committee submitted a six-page report that the 270 acres of land in Malam Jabba belonged to the Tourism Department and its entry to the revenue record was erroneous.

The former head of Ehtesab Commission, General (R) Hamid Khan had raised serious objections in his letter, IW/EC/MalamJabba/ 01, on April 15, 2015, saying the bidding process was suspicious.

The Samson Company submitted the amount late and it had no experience in the hotel industry. The letter said that the lease contract was given to a favourite company. Similar suspicions were expressed by the CM Inspection Team head in a letter (PIT/2015/ INSP/27/43-0541) on February 26, 2016.

However, nothing came out as the Ehtesab Commission had become redundant, while the CM Inspection Team’s report had been thrown into the dustbin. According to documents, former CM Pervez Khattak, in two meetings on October 11 and December 19, 2013, decided to contact the Australian government or the PAF for the Malam Jaba project, but the Tourism Department did not contact them.

Documents revealed that neither any feasibility nor any technical, financial, and prequalification criteria were set for the project.