National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is ready to act against more bigwigs on various charges after getting approval from its executive board. Chaired by NAB Chairman, a meeting of the Executive Board (EBM) was held on Thursday, at NAB Headquarters to accord approval to the anti0graft body to file references and conduct fresh investigations against accused over charges of corruption; resources beyond known income; misuse of authority and the infliction of phenomenal losses to national kitty. Acting in line with its policy, the bureau made public the details of all decisions made by EBM while making clear that it did not intend to hurt or insult anyone. It was also said that NAB would only open inquiries and investigations on the said allegations. However, all final decisions with regard to initiating proceedings would be taken after taking into account the views of both sides. EBM has approved holding of two inquiries against former Secretary Communication and Works Department of Balochistan, Ghulam Muhammad, as well as officials of Provincial Highway Division, District Sanghar, Sindh and other accused. NAB has also been given a green signal to conduct investigations against former director general (DG) of Larkana Development Authority, Asghar Sheikh, and others. As many as three corruption and abuse of authority references have also been approved against former Gilgit-Baltistan’s health minister, Haji Gulzar Khan; former Gilgit Forest Department Conservator, Muhammad Zamurrad Khan, Principal Medical Officer, Muhammad Qasim, Haji Nadeem Khan, Abdus Samad and others for costing Rs 45.73 million to the national exchequer by illegally issuing passes to seven contractors to cut forests and not receiving any fine in this regard. Another corruption reference would filed against former Advisor to Prime Minister on Aviation, Mehtab Ahmed Khan; former Aviation Division Secretary, Erfan Elahi; former PIAC Chairman, Musharraf Rasool; Muhammad Ali Tabba and others for appointing Musharraf Rasool as Chairman of PIAC in violation of rules by sheer abuse of authority and inflicting significant losses to the national kitty. Previously, the country’s top court also declared the appointment of Musharraf Rasool illegal. The EBM has authorised to file another corruption reference against former Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman, Kamran Ali Qureshi; former CDA Estate Member, Asad Munir; former Director Estate, Khalid Mehmood and others for allegedly illegally restoring a plot in F-11, Islamabad, by misusing their authority. The meeting also gave the go-ahead to link a complaint of suspicious transactions with the ongoing investigations against Sindh Assembly Speaker, Agha Siraj Durrani; Karachi Mayor, Waseem Akhtar; former federal minister, Liaquat Ali Jatoi and Nawab Muhammad Yousaf Talpur. Meanwhile, the EBM shut down the bureau’s inquiry against former Sindh Minister for Zakat and Usher, Dost Muhammad Rahimmo, and others due to a lack of incriminating evidence. Published in Daily Times, March 15th 2019.