Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States Ali Jahangir Siddiqui did not appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore, on Friday in connection with a transaction of Rs150 million between him and Fawad Hasan Fawad, the former principal secretary to the prime minister.
Sources said that the former principal secretary to the prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad extorted millions of rupees from the ambassadors and officers for their appointment on the seat of their choice .He had also extorted money against the approval of clemency appeals .NAB had summoned Mr Siddiqui to quiz him on charges that he had transferred Rs150m to the account of Mr Fawad before his appointment as ambassador to the US.
During interrogation, Mr Fawad is reported to have claimed that he had received Rs 150 m as a ‘loan’ from Mr Siddiqui.
“Neither Mr Siddiqui turned up nor his lawyer appeared before NAB on Friday,” an official of NAB said.
NAB had termed Mr Siddiqui’s reply in the case of stocks manipulation “unsatisfactory”.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had criticised former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for appointing Mr Siddiqui for the post, citing nepotism.
