Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started investigation against two big guns of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government on corruption and land grabbing charges, sources informed Daily Times.

“Yes, we have received complaints against National Assembly Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi and National Food Security and Research Federal Minister Sikander Hayat Bosan,” a NAB official disclosed on Sunday.

NAB, while taking notice of some reports, received a written complaint alleging the deputy speaker of involvement in the internal affairs of the Capital Development Authority. The letter revealed that Umair Abbasi, a close relative of the deputy speaker, was working as his front man.

It was alleged that Umair Abbasi used his influence for the allotment of over 200 plots of the victims to other people in various sectors and for this he used the name of the deputy speaker. Sources said that NAB was in process to gather all relevant documents, including bank accounts, related to Umair Abbasi.

CDA Deputy Director (Land) Amir Shahzad was the alleged partner of Umair Abbasi and was now ready to provide important documents to NAB, sources added.

“I did not use my powers illegally nor did I interfere in the affairs of the CDA. I am the chairman of National Assembly Committee on House and Library that looked after the matter pertaining to parliament lodges. I am not happy with the performance of the CDA staff at the parliament lodges and ordered to transfer one dozen employees but did not mention any name for replacement. I asked the CDA chairman to appoint the new staff as per his own judgment criteria, the deputy speaker told Daily Times.

He admitted that he knew Umair Abbasi as he was from his constituency but refused that he had any close links with him. “I do not have any front man in CDA and I am not aware of any illegal allotment of plots. It is a conspiracy against me and I am ready to present myself before the bureau. However, no official from NAB has contacted me in this regard,” Murtaza Javed Abbasi added.

Similarly, NAB sources said that an application was received in the headquarters from the Sargodha Press Club president against Federal Minister Sikander hayat Khan Bosan, alleging him of grabbing the government’s land in south Punjab when he was serving as a minister under Musharraf’s regime.