Daily Times

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has closed the 20-year-old bank defamation inquiry against Chaudhry Shujaat and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

NAB Lahore submitted a report to the High Court in which it was stated that the inquiry was closed due to lack of evidence against the Chaudhry brothers.

According to sources, the report states that the allegations levelled against the Chaudhry brothers for obtaining loans do not apply to them.

An investigation was launched against the Chaudhry brothers on April 12, 2000. 3 investigations against Chaudhry brothers were approved on February 14, 2019. Chaudhry Shujaat is accused of making assets beyond means while he was appointed as a minister in the Revenue department.

The PML-Q leaders, allies of the PTI-led government, had alleged in their petition that the institution of the NAB was being used for political engineering and old cases against them were being repeatedly opened and closed.

They said then chairman of the bureau in 2000 had authorized the investigation against them on the allegations of misuse of authority, assets beyond means and willful default under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

They said all the three investigations were recommended for closure by the investigating officers and regional board of the NAB during 2017 and 2018 when the regime of political arch rivals was in place.

About Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, the bureau alleged that the wealth of his family increased to Rs4.069 billion from 1985 to 2018. And their shareholding increased to Rs3 billion from 1985 to 2019 while the family acquired properties worth over Rs250 million.

Media reports last week suggested Pakistani authorities had been trying to trace UK assets of the Chaudhrys, mainly Moonis Elahi.