Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the executive board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was held with Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal in chair on Friday.

Several key decisions were taken in the meeting and a statement detailing the decisions, issued on Friday, said, “NAB wants to clarify that all complaint verification, inquiries and investigations will be conducted against the accused on their alleged involvement in corruption cases inflicting multi-billion rupee loss to the national exchequer. Such inquiries and investigations must not be considered as final. NAB would proceed ahead only after giving the accused ample opportunities to defend allegations against them and to prove their innocence.”

In the meeting, the EBM authorised an inquiry against government officials involved in payment of circular debt amounting to Rs480 billion in 2013 in violation of rules. The EBM also authorised an inquiry against the owners, directors and officials of M/S Azgard Nine and Agriteck Limited.

Further, the EBM approved investigations against the managing director of the Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank, Liaquat Durrani and others. They have been accused of illegally investing over Rs100 million by abusing their authority. The EBM also authorised an inquiry against the management of Neelam Jhelum power project for alleged misuse of authority and corruption; against former head of the Cardiology Department of the Sheikh Zayed Medical Complex Lahore, Dr Ajmal Hassan Naqvi and others for abuse of authority and involvement in corruption; against the commissioner of the Overseas Pakistanis Commission, Afzal Bhatti and others on allegations of illegal appointments and getting salaries as fringe benefits; against Punjab government and others including officers of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology for their involvement in alleged corruption; against Muzaffar Ali Ranjha, former director general of the Anti Corruption Establishment Punjab and others for denying cooperation to NAB in performing official duties; against the director general of the ACE Punjab, the director general of Anti Corruption Establishment Sahiwal, the Communication and Works Secretary, the Executive Engineer Public Health Department, officials of the Irrigation and Local Government departments and others on complaints of alleged corruption.

The EBM also authorised an inquiry against former Principal Secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad for abuse of authority, corruption and heavy losses to the national exchequer; against officers and officials of the Northern Power Plant Gujranwala for receiving complaints of corruption; against the former Chief Financial Officer of the Punjab Power Development Company Limited, Akram Naveed, former director Finance of the Parks and Horticulture Authority Lahore; against former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, former Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rahman, former chairman PTA Dr Ismael Shah and others. They are accused of awarding contracts in violation of rules, causing heavy losses to the national kitty.

Further, the EBM authorised inquiry against former director of Lok Virsa Aksi Mufti, Senator Robina Khalid, Messer Cosmos Private Limited and others. They have been accused of abusing their authority and awarding contracts to select-few companies illegally.

Messrs Eaz Garden Limted, Agri tech and others face an inquiry for alleged corruption; officers/ officials of Civil Aviation Authority for buying aeroplane equipment companies selected in violation of rules; officers/officials of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, land suppliers, builders and others for corruption in development work at the OPF Housing Society; against Mrs Sultan Gul and others for their involvement in cheating public at large and involvement in corruption; against several overseas Pakistanis for illegal transactions and money laundering; against the management of Chin One Builders Private Limited and others for cheating; against Bahria Town Limited and others for allegedly occupying the land of new Murree Development Project; against former Provincial Balochistan Minister Muhammad Sadiq Umrani, and officials of the Public Health Engineering Department; against alleged complaints of corruption against Saqib Ahmed Soomro, a PCS officer in Sindh; against Muhammad Sharif Malik, Department of Food, Kashmore
district.

An inquiry was also ordered against officers of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Peshawar on complaints of corruption and abuse of authority.

Published in Daily Times, August 4^th 2018.