Sukkur NAB recovered Rs28 bn in three years

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sukkur has presented its three years — 2018 to 2020 — performance report to NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal which revealed that NAB Sukkur had made Rs28 billion recovery directly and indirectly in convictions u/s 10 & 25(B) of NAO, 1999, in wheat scam and electricity theft, etc.

The chairman NAB chaired a meeting to review the performance of NAB Sukkur, especially conviction made under Section 10 of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO)-1999 and under Section 25 (B) of NAO-1999 during the tenure of the present management of NAB at the NAB Headquarters.

The meeting was attended by NAB Deputy Chairman Hussain Asghar, Prosecutor General Accountability Syed Asghar Haider, DG Operations NAB Zahir Shah, and other senior officers. DG NAB Sukkur Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig also participated in the meeting via video link.

While speaking in the meeting, the NAB chairman said anti-corruption strategy has been acknowledged by reputed national and international organisations which resulted in recovery of Rs535 billion from corrupt elements with overall conviction ratio of 66.8 percent during the tenure of the present management of NAB. He appreciated the performance of NAB Sukkur under the supervision of Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig, DG NAB Sukkur, and hoped that NAB Sukkur will continue to perform its official duties in future with same zeal and commitment.

During the meeting, Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig informed that 242 accused persons were convicted us/ 25(B) of NAO, 1999, who returned Rs2.77 billion through plea bargain after approval by the learned Accountability Court Sukkur. Whereas, 33 accused persons were convicted u/s 10 of NAO, 1999 and fine of Rs880 million imposed upon them. He informed the meeting that the NAB Sukkur filed 67 references in the Accountability Court Sukkur.

The DG NAB Sukkur also identified theft/embezzlement of 253,551.7 metric ton wheat amounting to Rs27.8 billion out of which an amount of Rs19.2 billion has been recovered and handed over to the government of Sindh. He told the meeting that his recovery of embezzled wheat was done when there was acute shortage of wheat due to less production in 2019-2020. He told the meeting that the chief secretary Sindh has also issued a letter of appreciation addressed to NAB chairman in this regard.

The DG NAB Sukkur informed that there are total 109x RO/UF water plants in Sukkur city which were not operational but now all of them are functioning due to the efforts made by NAB Sukkur in coordination with Public Health Engineering Department Sukkur. During the meeting, it was informed that Accountability Court Sukkur on 25th August, 2021 announced its judgment in reference No. 01/2020, titled “State Vs Parshotam Lal” whereby the accused Parshotam Lal, Lessee of M/s Shikarpur Flour Mill, Industrial Area, District Shikarpur was convicted/sentenced for 7 years of rigorous imprisonment along with fine of Rs109.820 million.

The accused Parshotam Lal, Lessee of M/s Shikarpur Flour Mill, Industrial Area, District Shikarpur got issued 25,000 wheat bags against (9) nine postdated cheques on one month credit basis.

He also informed that the Sindh High Court Bench at Sukkur CP No. 1115/2009 in its judgement ordered for recovery of forest land in the entire Sindh province from illegal occupants/encroachers. Consequently, out of land measuring 1,051,326 acres, an area of 874,163 acres has been mutated by the Revenue Department in favour of the Sindh Forest Department. Whereas, the forest land more than 250,000 acres has so far been recovered from encroachers by NAB Sukkur.

He further informed that the menace of electricity theft has also been addressed with joint efforts of SEPCO and NAB Sukkur and an amount of Rs7.9 billion in the year 2020 and Rs1.810 billion in the year 2021 has so far been recovered.