Privatisation of bank: Senate body shows concern over delay in investigation

Senate Standing Committee on Finance has shown its concern over delay in investigation by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) into allegation of corrupt practices in past privatisation of a bank under some kind of pressure.
The committee meeting chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwala on Thursday, during a monthly review of progress on a bank's privatisation case by NAB, there was complete confusion as to where lies original record of the privatisation as Finance Ministry and NAB denied of having 22 record files.
The meeting decided that since the mover of the case Senator Saeed Ghani and relevant DG NAB have proceeded to perform Hajj, the next meeting would be held in the presence of Chairman and DG NAB along with the Governor State Bank (SBP) and the secretary finance in October, 2015 to ascertain about the record.
NAB investigating official informed the committee that investigation is at initial stage and would not proceed further unless original record was provided to them. "We have been writing letters to seek original record and held a meeting with Finance Secretary, but it is still awaited," he added. Joint Secretary (banking) Ministry of Finance told the committee that the record is still with the State Bank of Pakistan. A committee member said that as per Director General NAB during the last meeting the files of the privatisation were in the possession of NAB.
Chairman of the committee remarked that this issue has been going on for years and the committee wants the investigation to be completed without any further delay. He asked the NAB: "don't come under anybody's influence because general impression is that investigation is being delayed due to pressure". Mandviwala further stated "committee wants to know that how far NAB has gone in investigation. Again impression after this meeting is that investigation is being blocked". NAB official said that thirteen people of the group which had purchased the Bank were issued notices and two of them had died. He added that others have joined investigation.