Inquiries, investigations against former ministers, others approved: NAB

ISLAMABAD: Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday approved nine inquiries and 22 investigations against former ministers and legislators including Khawaja Saad Rafique and other officials of Pakistan Railways.

The meeting, chaired by NAB chairman, Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal also approved inquiries against former Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, former Minister for Industry and Production Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, former Sindh minister for industry, Manzoor Wasan, former Members of National Assembly (MNAs) Nawab Ali Wasan and Muhammad Iftikhar Gillani and others.

The EBM approved investigations against former Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, former Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Anusha Rehman, former Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Dr Ismail Shah, two former members of PTA Tariq Sultan and Abdus Samad and others.

The EBM also accorded approval of five references which would be filed in accountability courts. The EBM approved filing corruption reference against Gul Hassan Channa, former Secretary Board of Revenue Sindh, Iftikhar Haider, former MD Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

Syed Umer Ahmed, Sarfraz Merchant, Shahid Rasool, Syed Muhammad Mujtaba, Mirza Afzal Baig, Awais Mirza, Jamil and Farid Suriya.

They have been accused of allotting 769 acre state land illegally to their favourites private persons inflicting Rs 480.40 million losses to national exchequer.

The EBM authorized filing corruption reference against Naeem Yahya Mir, former managing director Pakistan State Oil, Dr Syed Nazir Ahmed Zaidi, senior general manager Pakistan State Oil, Zulfikar Ali Jaffery, former senior general manager, Akhtar Zaheer, former general manager, Sabir Hussain, former director general oil, Kamran Iktikhar Lari, chief operating officer, Bico Pakistan Limited. They have been accused of inking oil agreement with Bico Oil Pakistan Limited in contrary to the agreement. This caused Rs 23 billion loss to the national exchequer.

EBM authorized conducting corruption references against Abdul Hameed Pathan, administrator, Taulka, Gharo Khairo, Jacobabad, Sindh , Engineer TMA Taulka, Ghari Khairo, District Jacobabad, Sahahzada Khokar and others. They inflicted Rs 20 billion losses to national kitty by misusing authority.

The EBM approved filing corruption reference against former chief engineer Sukkar Barrage left bank region Ahmed Junaid Memon, former chief engineer Sukkar Barrage, Saeed Ahmed former superintendent engineer, Amjad Ahmed former executive engineer, Syed Husnain Haider, Assistant Executive engineer, Shahzad Ali Chief Executvie /director messers Sardar Muhammad Ashraf Baloch and Company.

They have been accused of corruption in various government schemes, thus causing Rs 660 million losses to national kitty. EBM authorized closing corruption reference against former secretary commerce Muhammad Shahzad Arbab, Imran Ahmed Chaudhry, former secretary export policy, FBR, officers, officials Custom Collectorate Peshawar and Clearing agents of FATA and returning to Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan.

Chairman NAB Justice Javed Iqbal said NAB’s priority was to take mega corruption cases to logical conclusion. NAB was vigorously pursuing policy of ‘Accountability of All’. NAB not only considers elimination of corruption as its national responsibility but also striving hard to make the country corruption free. He directed staff to complete inquiries, investigations and corruption cases as per law and in a transparent way.

He warned strict action against the officials showing lackadaisical approach in concluding corruption cases.