NAB files two corruption references, seven inquiries

By our correspondents
May 31, 2017

Islamabad

The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was held under the chairmanship of Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, chairman NAB at NAB Headquarters, says a press release.

The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) decided to file two corruption references. First corruption reference was decided to be filed against Riaz Qadeer Butt, CEO M/s Haq Bahu Sugar Mills (Pvt) Ltd and others. The accused persons were alleged for willfully failure to supply the requisite quantity of sugar to Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan and misappropriated the advance amount, which caused huge loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.

Second corruption reference was decided to be filed against Shehnaz Ikram, Director M/S SB Hosiery Factory PVT Ltd Faisalabad and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for an engineered fraud by the Directors of M/S SB Hosiery Factory Pvt Ltd Faisalabad in connivance with the bank officials through negotiating of fake/forged documents, which caused a loss of Rs195.217 million to the national exchequer.

The EBM authorised two investigations. First investigation was authorised against officers/officials of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for corrupt practices in procurement, shipping and distribution of below quality of petroleum products, which caused a huge loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.

Second investigation was authorised against Muhammad Tahir Ismail, Proprietor of Tahir Traders, Rahim Yar Khan. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for cheating/defrauding public by establishing an illegal brokerage house, which caused a loss of Rs315.264 million. 

The Executive Board Meeting decided to authorise seven inquiries. First inquiry was authorised against Manzoor Qadir, DG Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Karachi and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for 1200 illegal appointments made in SBCA. Thus caused a loss of Rs1.487 billion to the national exchequer.

Second inquiry was authorized against Manzoor Qadir, DG Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Karachi and others in illegal approval of commercial building site plan on non commercial roads. Thus caused a loss of Rs343.5 million to the national exchequer.

Third inquiry was authorised against officers/officials of Korakoram International University (KIU), Gilgit Baltistan. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority and illegal appointments.  Thus caused a loss of Rs40.975 million to the national exchequer.

Fourth inquiry was authorised against Management of National Logistic Cell (NLC). In this case, the accused persons were alleged for irregular expenditure of Rs85.7 million on purchase of 86 imported vehicles in violation of ban imposed by Cabinet Division.

Fifth inquiry was authorized against M/S General Insurance Company Limited. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of assets. Thus caused a loss of Rs57.156 million to the national exchequer.

Sixth inquiry was authorized against Fauzia Shah Jilani and Aftab Hussain Shah, Assistant Commissioner, Ministry of Labor Welfare, Government of Sindh. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) referred by State Bank of Pakistan under 31-D of NAO.

Seventh inquiry was authorized against Adeel Anwar S/O Saadat Anwar, Acting XEN, C&W, Department, Balochistan and others. In this case, the accused person is alleged for illegal gratification of Rs9.6 million in awarding of contracts.

The Executive Board Meeting approved Plea Bargain requests of Ahsan Ullah Chattha, CEO of M/S United Engineers and Contractors (Pvt) Ltd, Lahore of Rs29.850 million and Zaheer Alam Sheikh of Rs2.495 million respectively in a case against officers/officials of NTC and M/s United Contractors (Pvt) Ltd.

In a case against Asghar Waseer s/o Abdul Rasheed Waseer, Supervisor, Revenue Department, Sindh and others, the EBM re-authorised inquiry against Nasrullah Baloch, EX-MPA and others. In this case, the accused person is alleged for misuse of authority through forgery and tempering in the land record and assets beyond known sources of income. 

At the end, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, said that NAB is committed to eradicate corruption by adopting Zero Tolerance Policy. He directed all officers/officials of NAB to put in their best efforts in conduct of complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations against corrupt in accordance with law, transparently and on merit.