Reference against Dar: Saeed rejects allegations against him; judgement reserved

President National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Saeed Ahmed allowed former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to open seven accounts in his (Saeed's) name to protect his (Dar's) ill-gotten money, prosecutor National Accoun-tability Bureau (NAB) told the anti-graft court on Tuesday.
While arguing on an application filed by Saeed Ahmed through his counsel Hashmat Ali Habib before Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir hearing a corruption reference against Dar, Special Prosecutor NAB Imran Shafiq said that seven bank accounts were opened in the name of Saeed which were used to benefit Dar and his companies with total transactions amounting to Rs 482.84 million and $4.06 million.
"It was correct that the signature on account opening forms do not match with Saeed's," he said, adding that the accused had made fake signature on account opening forms with a view to averting any action against him in future. He further said that it was beyond comprehension that the accused who remained on important positions like deputy governor State Bank of Pakistan and president NBP did not know about seven fake accounts which were opened in his name.
He said, "If we accept that seven banks account were not in his knowledge then what action he took when this came into his knowledge in April 2016. Through these accounts the accused aided, assisted and abetted Dar due to which he enjoyed lucrative positions." The NAB prosecutor requested the court to reject the application and indict Saeed.
Defense Counsel Habib said that according to the contents of the NAB reference, no case can be registered against Saeed. The supplementary reference filed by the NAB against Dar is against the spirit of the Supreme Court July 28, 2017 verdict in the Panama Papers case, he added. He said that apex court has also rejected the alleged affidavit of Dar in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills Case; therefore, he requests the court to reject the NAB reference.
In his application of Saeed Ahmed under section 265-D, the applicant said that a supplementary corruption reference was filed against Dar where he and two other persons - Naeem Mehmood and Syed Mansoor Raza Rizvi - were nominated as accused. Saeed Ahmed said that the allegations leveled against him are imaginary. The NAB in its supplementary reference has alleged that "during investigation, it was revealed that President NBP Saeed Ahmed was one of the directors of Hajveri Modaraba Management Company and 7,000 shares in Hajveri Holding (Pvt) Ltd were transferred in his favour by the wife of Dar.
Seven bank accounts were opened in the name of accused Saeed Ahmed which, as per investigation, were prima facie used to benefit Dar and his companies. Saeed Ahmed said that the allegation of opening seven bank accounts is baseless as the supplementary investigation report revealed that the account opening forms were sent for forensic examination and signatures of the applicant (Saeed Ahmed) do not tally.
The accused argued before the court that he received a phone call from Lahore NAB asking him to come to their office as they wanted some clarification in connection with accounts opened in his name. Saeed told the NAB when those accounts were opened, he was abroad and forensic report clarified that the signatures on account opening forms were not of him. He has never used those accounts for any purpose.
Upon this, Director NAB Amjad Aulakh said that they sent reports from Lahore to their headquarters in Islamabad. "Islamabad NAB seemed to be of the view that my status as prosecution witness was not acceptable to them, and they wanted to deal with me either as an approver or an accused," Saeed Ahmed said, while referring to his telephonic conversation with Amjad Aulakh.
Aulakh asked the applicant when those accounts came into his knowledge. To which the applicant said that he came to know on April 16, 2016 when Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, in a speech, alleged that Saeed Ahmed opened accounts for Dar to facilitate some of his illegal acts and in return, Ahmed has been appointed as deputy governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.
Referring to his telephonic conversation, Saeed Ahmed said, "If my posting was a reward then why I had to wait for 20 years after opening of these accounts." The applicant said that the reference has been filed on surmises and conjectures and it may be rejected to his extent.
He said that supplementary reference as per its contents has been filed being referred by apex court which is not true in letter and spirit regarding the July 28, 2017 judgment which is clear. He also requested that NAB shall also include in the proceedings all other persons including Sheikh Saeed, Musa Ghani, Kashif Masood Qazi, Javid Kiyani who had any direct or indirect nexus with Dar's actions.
He prayed to the court through his application to reject the supplementary reference to the extent of the applicant in view of mandatory provision of section 256-D CrPC. The NAB with slogan of 'say no to corruption' be subjected to pay compensation for false involvement of the applicant. The court after hearing the arguments of prosecutor and defense counsel reserved its judgment till March 14, Wednesday.