The National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) on Wednesday deferred a decision to turn an inquiry against the Federal Planning Minister Khusro Bakhtiar into an investigation as it approved three cases for filing of references against Khawaja Anwar Majeed – one of the accused in the multi-billion dollar money laundering case that also involves Pakistan Peoples Party top leaders.
An inquiry against Khusro Bakhtiar was completed by NAB Multan and it submitted for approval of EBM to file a reference but this case was put in cold storage for the reason best known to the Chairman of NAB.
The decision was taken in NAB Executive Board Meeting (EBM), chaired by Justice Javed Iqbal. The board approved initiating a total of three references and three inquiries as it referred some inquiries to relevant forum for further proceedings and action.
Khawaja Anwar Majeed and others will face the reference for allegedly inflicting a loss of Rs340 million to the national exchequer through money laundering and corrupt practices.
Another reference will be filed against Syed Arif Khan, director and partner of Messers Kanal View and others for looting the people causing Rs266 million losses to national exchequer. They have been accused of having assets beyond known sources of income.
The EBM approved to club inquiries against the officers, officials and management of Punjab Energy Holding Company with the ongoing inquiry against appointment of officers in 56 companies.
It approved referring an inquiry against Fazal Amin, Siraj Din and others to Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).
It also approved sending an inquiry against Saeed Ahmed Khan, chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority and others, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan to the ANF in light of the Islamabad High Court’s order.
The EBM authorised closing inquiries against officers/officials and others of Abdul Wali Khan University, international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen), FAO Rural Programme and others owing to absence of evidence.
NAB chairman said the bureau has filed 600 corruption references in different accountability courts in the last 23 months. The conviction ratio in NAB cases is 70 per cent.
The bureau has recovered Rs71 billion directly or indirectly from the corrupt elements and deposited to the national exchequer.
“NAB has concluded 41 mega corruption cases, while inquiries were continuing in 15 mega corruption cases and investigations were under way in18 mega corruption cases,” he added.
He urged regulators of housing societies including Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Balochistan Development Authority (BDA), Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), Multan Development Authority (MDA), Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) and others to enlist approved housing societies at their websites and inform the people about illegal housing societies.
The EBM ordered inquires against former minister for housing and works Akram Khan Durrani; former provincial minister Sher Azam Wazir and others; the Sindh Assembly former member Ali Ghulam Nizamani, member Sindh Assembly Saeed Khan Nizamani, Malir Development Authority former DG Muhammad Sohail and Asmatullah, Xen; MES, Sialkot Cantt, Almoiz Industries Limited, MM Road, Tehsil Paplan, District Mianawali and others; officers/ officials of Karachi Port Trust; Health Department Government of Sindh, Members Procurement Committee, Programme Manager Hepatitis Prevention and Control Programme Sindh and others; officers/officials of Gomal University Dera Ismael Khan; Management of Food Department Khuzdar; Ram Chand, Chief Engineer, Sukkur; Abdul Wahab, Sehato, Executive Engineer and others; Public Health Engineering Division, Larkana, Iqbal Sheikh, government Contractor and others; Management of Messers Chinyon Builders, Private Builders and others.
The EBM closed inquiries against Hafiz Abdul Karim, former minister for communication; Usman Abdul Karim, Anas Abdul Karim, Dr Najeeb Haider and others including former MPA Ghulam Qadir Palejo and others; Port Qasim Authority former managing director Abdul Sattar Dero and others; officials of Communication and Works Department, MechaTech and others due to absence of evidence.
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Corruption