Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has authorised filing inquiries against former Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq and others for inflicting losses to the national exchequer.

The EBM presided over by NAB Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal has approved the filing of numerous inquiries against various personalities including former Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, former Punjab Director General Anti-corruption; Muzaffar Ali Ranjha, former DCO Faisalabad Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, officials of Highway development in Faisalabad, members of Citi District government in Faisalabad, Messers ZKB Reliable and others, former mayor and Member National Assembly; Chaudhry Sher Ali, former deputy commissioner Faisalabad; Muhammad Amin Chaudhry, Mian Anjum, Muhammad Saleem, Muhammad Suleman, Imran Sher Ali, officials of FDA, officials of Khawaja Farid University in Rahimyar Khan, Chief Secretary Punjab, officers of Punjab Education Foundation Vehari, Secretary Excise and Taxation Rahimyar Khan, management of United Ethanol Industries Sadiqabad, officials of C &D Department, officers of Live Stock Department of Multan and MNA Mehr Irshad Ahmed Khan, said a news release.

In addition, the EBM sanctioned investigations against Mansha Group and approved the transfer of ongoing inquiries against former Tehsil Nazim Muhammad Yasin, Ghazala Shaheen daughter of Muhammad Yasin, former Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Ghulam Murtaza, Azam Sohail and others to the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for further proceedings.

It also sent inquiries against retired Medical Superintendent of DHQ hospital in Bahawalpur, Hafiz Muhammad Tariq Javed, retired judge Multan Nazir Ahmed Langah, Advocate High Court Hafiz Allah Ditta Kashif, former MPA Punjab Muhammad Islam Aslam, officials of Chulistan Development Authority to the Anti-Corruption Department Punjab, the Registrar of the Lahore High Court and to the senior member Board of Revenue Punjab for further proceedings.

The EBM authorized closing the inquiries against MPA Punjab Sohail Zafar, former Town Nazim Gujranwala Rizwan Zafar, MPA Malik Ghazanfar Abbas Cheema, Muhammad Sher Cheema, officials of the Punjab Revenue Department owing to the absence of evidence.

NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal said the anti-graft watchdog has recovered Rs 323 billion directly and indirectly from the corrupt individuals in 2020. In total, NAB has recovered Rs 814 billion.

The meeting was attended by Hussain Asghar Deputy Chairman NAB, Syed Asghar Haider Prosecutor General Accountability, Zahir Shah Director General Operations NAB and other senior officers of NAB.

It is a yearlong policy of NAB to share the details of the EBM with the public which does not aim to hurt the feelings of anyone as all inquiries and investigations are initiated on the basis of alleged allegations, which are not final. The bureau only decides to go ahead with the case after assessing the merits of the cases and after knowing both sides of the situation.