The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed another corruption reference against former president Asif Ali Zardari and two former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani for allegedly acquiring vehicles and gifts from Toshakhana (treasure-house) in violation of the set rules and regulations.
The NAB has filed the Toshakhana reference under Section 18(g) read with Section 24(b) and others enabling provision of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 as well as Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), 2010, before Accountability Court's judge Muhammad Bashir.
Zardari, Sharif, Gilani, Khawaja Anver Majid, and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid have been nominated. According to the bureau, the evidence collected during the course of inquiry and investigation has established that the accused, Gilani in order to extend illegal benefit to accused, Zardari and Sharif illegally allowed the retention of vehicles gifted to them by various foreign states and dignitaries, which at that time belonged to Central Pool of Cars, Cabinet Division, relaxing the procedure of Toshakhana, illegally.
The accused, Zardari and Sharif, had retained the said vehicles against the nominal payment of 15 percent of total value of the vehicles. According to rules, it was the responsibility of the accused persons to report and deposit the vehicles with the Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division, but he neither reported the gifted vehicles nor deposited the same.
They converted those vehicles to own use. The accused, Zardari made the payment for vehicles and duties of these vehicles through accused Khawaja Anver Majid and Khawaja Abdul Ghnai Majid, for which he has no plausible justification
The accused, Gilani, former prime minister and minister-in-charge Cabinet Division in between 2008-2012 had illegally relaxed the procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts, issued by the government through Cabinet Division O.M no.9/8/2004 TK dated June 25, 2007.
According to these rules, gifted vehicles shall not be allowed to be purchased by the recipients and be given to the Central Pool of Cars of the Cabinet Division.
The accused Zardari being president accepted and received the armored vehicles as gifts from United Arab Emirates BMW-750 Li Model 2005, Lexus Jeep Model 2007 and Libya BMW-760 Li Model 2008 in September-October 2008. The accused Sharif held the office of prime minister from 1997 to 1999 and did not hold any public office in year 2008. Gilani had given a gifted vehicle to Sharif in 2008 from Toshakhana without submitting any application.
The investigation has also established that the accused Khawaja Anver Majid having control of and by operating accounts of M/s Ansari Sugar Mills Ltd transferred Rs 9.2 million from bank accounts number 3172-2 maintained with NBP Avari Tower Branch Karachi through cheque on April 24, 2009 to the account no 00023-011009761001 of accused Zardari maintained with Silk Bank Karachi.
The accused Khawaja Anver Majid also make another payment of Rs 11,117,557 from account number 4108080922 maintained with NBP Shaheed-e-Millat Branch, Karachi to government treasury on behalf of accused Zardari.
The accused persons as part of their overall illicit scheme made payments totaling Rs 20,317,577 for undue benefit of accused Zardari, thus assisted and acted in connivance with him in obtaining of pecuniary advantages/property through corrupt and or dishonest means.
The accused Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid made payments of Rs 37.16 million to collector of customs Islamabad against the duties of gifted vehicles retained by accused Zardari. These payments were made through three pay orders issued by Summit Bank from the fake account number 1-2-120620-714-135339 of M/s Lucky International maintained at Summit Bank, which is declared by the accused Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid in the amnesty scheme 2018 with the FBR.
The accused, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid as part of their overall illicit scheme made payments totaling Rs 37.16 million for the benefit of accused Zardari thus assisted and acted in connivance with him in obtaining pecuniary advantages and property through corrupt or dishonest means.
The investigation has established that the accused persons have committed the offence of corruption and corrupt practices as defence under Section 9(a), (ii), (iv), (vii) & (xii) punishable under Section 10 of the NAO, 1999 and schedule, and also committed the offence of money laundering as defined under Section 3 punishable under Section 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010.
In view of the foregoing facts reasons and circumstances it is respectfully prayed that accused persons may kindly be tried by this court or any other court, of competent jurisdiction at the designated place and they may graciously be punished in accordance with law.
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