Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of arrest of Ex Secretary Finance Balochistan Mushtaq Raeesani and recovery of huge quantity of Pakistani and foreign currency and golden ornaments from his possession, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Balochistan has expanded the scope of investigation.

Preliminary investigation reveals that Mushtaq Raeesani was posted as Secretary Finance on special recommendation of National Party leader Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizanju and the arrest of Mushtaq Raeesani under heavy corruption charges put the oath taking of Hasil Bizanju, as federal minister on hold.

The government and civilian circles of Balochistan are of the view that Mushtaq Raeesani was taking 10 per cent advance on every sort of development project or any other transaction. After this information NAB Balochistan has made the intelligence wing active to collect the evidences against Mushtaq Raeesani besides collect the evidences against the people who remained directly involve in corruption with accused or facilitates him in the corruption.

It was learnt that some people who have seen bags filled with Pakistani and foreign currency and filled with golden ornaments at the residence of Mushtaq Raeesani, informed the Director General NAB Balochistan, who conducted a raid the arrested the accused.

The menace of corruption was at spread in Balochistan since previous government of National Party leader Dr Abdul Malik and NAB traced out illegal assets of Secretary Food Ali Baloch which were 15 bungalows in DHA Karachi and NAB Sindh after getting information from NAB Balochistan tried to impound all 15 housing units of Ali Baloch, but then Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Malik write a letter to Chief Minister Sindh to bar the NAB from impounding the property of Ali Baloch and CM Sindh used his influence on NAB.

Sources revealed that former CM Dr Abdul Malik issued development fund of one billion rupees to a MPA but not a single penny was utilized on the development of the area. They said that Audit Department has pointed out irregularities of over Rs 40 billion in the era of Dr Abdul Malik.

DG NAB Balochistan Tariq Mehmood after arrest of Mushtaq Raeesani said that the volume of currency and gold recovered from the accused speaks loudly that it was not work of a single person and many other people are involved in the corrupt practices and NAB is making all out efforts to trace these people.

Former CM Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik and Minister Finance Khalid Langu have presented themselves for accountability, which is a good omen.

It is pertinent to note that during the regime of Aslam Raeesani corruption in Balochistan touched new heights and NAB Balochistan is busy in investigation against him for last three years. In past it was common thing s that Aslam Raeesani issued development funds of billions of rupees to MPAs which were not used.

Accused Mushtaq Raeesani is cousin of former CM Aslam Raeesani and person using efforts to bail out Federal government from Panama Leaks and who was about to be named as Federal Minister for Shipping. He was about to take oath but arrest of Mushtaq Raeesani has made it impossible for Federal Government as NAB Balochistan is very close to all the characters of corruption linked with Mushtaq Raeesani.