NAB completes probe into Haj scam

MANSEHRA: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has completed a probe into a scam in which a fraudulent group led by a woman alleged received an amount of Rs190,000 each from around 400 people on the pretext of sending them for Haj but went underground at the time of departure, last year.

An investigation team of NAB from Peshawar recorded the statements of around 300 people. They had been deprived of their money in the name of Haj on subsidised financial package. The NAB team, also questioned the affected people and received affidavits from them, completed the task on Thursday and left for Peshawar.

"Each complainant has submitted an affidavit with the NAB team and demanded immediate arrest of those involved in this financial scam," Tariq Hussain, a complaint, told reporters. Tariq Hussain, who led a group of around 30 people and separately submitted their affidavits, said that there was a rush of affected people at the new Circuit House.

"Almost all affected people mentioned the name of head of seminary Qari Shah Zareen and ringleader of the group Shahnaz Bibi and others who went underground at the time of departure. And we hope the gang would be busted as early as possible," he said. He said the fraudsters deceived people, saying that a Saudi Arabia charity was sponsoring half of the financial package of pilgrims who couldn't afford the entire package and it was why they were receiving Rs170,000 to Rs180,000 per person.

Another complainant, Mohammad Younus, said the fraudsters had deceived the people and received over Rs50 million in April last year but didn’t return the money as yet and all were still underground.