Daily Times

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested two close aides of former minister for housing and works Akram Khan Durrani in illegal appointments case.

The NAB Rawalpindi arrested member of the Departmental Selection Committee Mukhtar Badshah Khattak and Atif Malik in an inquiry against Akram Durrani and others in the case.

The bureau claimed that Khattak played a key role in illegal recruitments with malafide intentions in Pak PWD. The other accused, Atif Malik, illegally benefited the applicants by issuing them fake documents for getting jobs in Pak PWD, the NAB said.

The JUI-F leader and the current leader of the opposition in KP Assembly is also facing charges of misuse of power and illegal allotment of plots in other NAB cases.

Meanwhile, an accountability court (AC) on Thursday ordered medical examination of former finance adviser in the LNG case.

Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the petition seeking facilities for Miftah Ismail in jail in the LNG case. In his arguments, defence lawyer contended that Ismail has been suffering from heart ailment and also presented his medical report. The counsel prayed the court to order TV facility and allow his family to meet him. The NAB prosecutor raising an objection said the accused has already been provided a better class in the jail. To which, the defence lawyer said that whatever facilities can be provided under the law should be provided to his client.

Later, the court while ordering provision of facilities under the jail laws to Miftah Ismail adjourned the hearing. The court also instructed the jail officials to determine a day on which he can meet people.

Separately, an accountability court on Thursday issued notice to NAB prosecutor on a plea moved by co-accused in illegal allotment case, who challenged the bureau’s reference against former Karachi mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal regarding alleged illegal allotment of precious land at Sea View Karachi. The court sought arguments from NAB prosecutor and accused persons in the case on October 26.

Meanwhile, NAB on Thursday submitted a report in an accountability court in Karachi about declaring former minister for ports and shipping Babar Ghauri a proclaimed offender in a case of illegal recruitments and misuse of power in Karachi Port Trust (KPT).

Sindh Assembly member Javed Hanif and other accused were present in the hearing. The NAB prosecutor presented a report with regard to the action on declaring the absconding former minister Babar a proclaimed offender.

The judge accepted the plea of the accountability bureau and adjourned the hearing till October 28. Separately, an accountability court in Lahore has extended judicial remand of former sports board director general Usman Anwar till October 31 in Punjab Youth Festival corruption case.

During hearing by judge Ameer Khan, NAB prosecutor Hafiz Asadullah told the court that Usman Anwar was arrested over alleged corruption in the funds for Punjab Youth Festival. Anwar misused his authority and embezzled the funds reserved for sports events that took place in 2011 and 2012, he added.

After hearing the arguments, the court extended remand of the accused and directed the authorities concerned to file reference against him for further investigation in the case.