Ex-PIA MD, OGDC, SECP officials included: NAB approves 17 probes against accused

ISLAMABAD: The top anti-graft body Tuesday accorded approval to conduct 17 inquiries against various accused including public office holders in fake bank accounts scam, 10 inquiries against legal persons, Captain Ejaz Haroon, former managing director Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and others.

The executive board meeting of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) held here with its chairman Justice Javed Iqbal (retd) approved the inquires, which include public office holders, relevant staff owners/directors of sugar mills in Omni Group in fake bank account scam and others, officials/officers of Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd (OGDCL), Imran Saleem, an inspector of Punjab Police, Muhammad Naeem Akbar, Aamir Ishaq Malik, Citi Housing Scheme (Pvt) Ltd, Ali Tahir Qasim, Chief Commercial Officer PIA, Tariq Mehmood Sheikh, Chief Executive Officer, Messer Air International (Pvt) Ltd and others, Akbar Nasir Khan, and inquiries are also approved against former Chief Operating Officer Punjab officers/officials of Safe Citi Authorities.

The top anti-graft body authorised investigations against the management of the OGDCL.

NAB is a human-friendly organisation and it firmly believes in respecting every accused: Statement by the authority

A statement issued by the authority said that “it is a year-long policy of the NAB to share the details of executive board meeting with masses which does not aim to hurt anyone as all inquiries and investigations are initiated on the basis of allegations, which are not final.”

The NAB decides to go ahead with case after assessing the merits of the cases and after knowing flip side of the coin, it said. “NAB is a human-friendly organisation and it firmly believes in respecting every accused."

The executive board also authorised conducting investigation against officials, Saindak Metals (Pvt) Ltd and others, owners/directors and others of Nirala MSR Foods (Pvt) Ltd Lahore, inquiry against Management of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), National Testing Services to concerned department. It approved referring inquiry against Messers Adult/HRL JV and others to Civil Aviation Authority for further proceedings.

The chairman NAB said that all available resources are being utilised to take mega corruption cases to logical conclusion.

He said that the top most priority of bureau is to conclude to punish accused involved in different scams including sugar, flour, money laundering, fake accounts, abuse of authority, assets beyond means, illegal housing societies, and Modaraba scam. The statement said that the NAB has recovered Rs535 billion directly and indirectly from corrupt elements in the last three years, which is a record achievement.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021