Payment of Rs 480 billion circular debt: NAB decides to initiate inquiry against officials

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Friday launched an inquiry against government officials for payment of Rs 480 billion circular debt in violation of rules and regulations in the year 2013. An official of NAB said that the decision to this effect was taken at a NAB Executive Board Meeting (EBM), presided over by Chairman NAB former Justice Javed Iqbal and attended by other senior officials.
The EBM approved an inquiry against the government officials and others for payment of Rs 480 billion circular debt in the year 2013 in violation of rules and regulations, he added.
He said that the EBM also okayed an inquiry against the management of Neelum-Jhelum Project for alleged misuse of authority and corruption. The Bureau also decided to launch an inquiry against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Principal Secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad over alleged misuse of authority and corruption, which incurred huge losses to the national kitty.
The official said that the meeting also approved an inquiry against former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, former Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman and former Chairman Pakistan Telecomm-unication Authority (PTA) Dr Ismail Shah and others over illegal award of contract of the Next Generation Mobile Services, which caused huge losses to the national kitty.
He said that the NAB will launch another inquiry against Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Senator Rubina Khalid, former Executive Director Lok Virsa, Aksi Mufti, and M/S Cosmos Private Limited for awarding contract to blue-eyed companies. The Bureau initiated another inquiry against the officers and officials of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) over award of contract to blue-eyed companies for purchasing instruments of airplanes, he said.
The official said that the NAB has also authorized an inquiry against owners, directors and others of Messrs Azgard Nine Limited and Agri Tech for their alleged involvement in corruption. The EBM also launched an investigation against the managing director of Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Limited, Liaqat Durrani and others for making investment of Rs 100 million by misuse of authority.
He said that the EBM authorized conducting another inquiry against former Director General Anti-Corruption Punjab Muzaffar Ali Ranjha and others for denying cooperation to the NAB in performing official duties. According to the official statement issued by the NAB, it also approved 17 inquiries including an inquiry against Dr Ajmal Hassan, head of department of Cardiology, Sheikh Zaid Medical College, Commissioner Overseas Pakistanis Afzal Bhati and other officers and officials of Punjab Institute of Cardiology.
The EBM also authorized conducting inquiries against director general Anti-Corruption Punjab, director general Anti-Corruption Sahiwal, secretary C&W, XEN/SDO Highway, officers of Building Department and Public Health Department, former chief financial officer Punjab Power Development Company Limited, Akram Naveed, former director finance ERRa, Islamabad, former director Finance PHA Lahore, officers/officials of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Sultan Gul and others, and management of Bahria Town Limited and others for allegedly occupying the land of New Murree Development Project.