NAB approves corruption references against PPP minister, others

ISLAMABAD: Another provincial minister of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) from Sindh, Muhammad Ali Malkani, has come under the radar of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that has launched an inquiry against him for allegations of land grabbing and corruption.

NAB has also launched an inquiry against a senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and ex-minister for ports and shipping Babar Ghauri and ex-minister of state for ports and shipping Nabeel Gabol, along with officers/officials of the PNSC for alleged illegal appointments in KPT/PNSC beyond the age of 60 years, illegal allotment of plots, illegal re-imbursement of hefty medical bills and unauthorised retention of vehicles and staff by ex-KPT officers/trustees/ex-minister and minister of state, thus, causing a huge loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.

The decisions were taken in the meeting of the Executive Board of the NAB with its Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry in the chair here on Tuesday. The Board authorised an inquiry against Muhammad Ali Malkani, Minister for Industries, Sindh, Haji Shoukat Malkani, ex-Nazim, District Thatta, and others for alleged corruption and land grabbing. The Executive Board of NAB gave its approval to file a corruption reference against Syed Murid Kazim, ex-minister for revenue, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and others in a land scam and also approved action against naval officers who were involved in the same case.

In this case, Syed Murid Kazim and other accused were alleged of corruption and corrupt practices/misuse of authority in illegal transfer of valuable state land measuring 1,976 kanals situated in Dera Ismail Khan in the name of the Naval Families Rehabilitation Organization (NFRO), Bahawalpur. Some 91 kanals of land worth Rs98.65 million is still in the possession of the accused persons. NAB has already requested the Naval Headquarters for appropriate action against the naval officers involved in the said case.

NAB also gave its approval to probe against ex-chairman Pakistan Steels Mills Moeen Aftab Sheikh, former secretary Postal Services, officials of the PTCL, PTA and Board of Revenue.

While the NAB also launched inquiry against Khalid Kharal, ex-information minister of the second tenure of the Benazir Bhutto government, on the complaint of Public Accounts Committee and in this case, the accused persons were alleged for 2(AR 1996-97) irregular expenditure of $2,754,721 on medical treatment of information minister and 3 (AR 1996-97) injudicious utilization of 85% entertainment allowance of $28,560.

Second corruption reference was approved against Saeed Ahmad Qureshi, owner of Sultan Flour and General Mills (Pvt) Ltd. Multan who obtained 4863.863 million tons of wheat on subsidised rates on the condition that the said volume of the flour shall be processed in the flour mills of the accused. The accused sold the subsidised wheat in the open market and caused a loss of Rs2,379,184 to the national exchequer. Third corruption reference was approved against Ahsanullah Khan, ex-senior member Board of Revenue, officers/officials of Revenue Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and others. 

In this case, accused Ahsanullah Khan, ex-senior member Board of Revenue, illegally promoted naib tehsildars without Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) and codal formalities against the rules and regulations by misuse of authority, illegal appointment and promotion of revenue staff thus causing a huge loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.

Fourth corruption reference was approved against Moeen Aftab Shaikh, ex-chairman, Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), Karachi and Sameen Asghar, ex-director PSM, Karachi. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for causing a loss of Rs188,160,000 to the national exchequer.

The Executive Board decided to authorise investigation against Raja Ikramul Haq, ex-secretary Postal Services, Azizullah Khan, Deputy DG, Financial Services, Fazle Sattar, Additional DG Ops, Pakistan Post, Hafiz Zafar Ali Malik, Director Financial Services, and Masroor Sarwar Khan, CEO NM/S MSK International and others. 

In this case, the accused persons were alleged for fraud in housing scheme at Kurri Road, corruption and corrupt practices in awarding contract to M/S 360 technologies by disqualifying other bidders illegally and violation of PPRA rules in giving contract to M/S telconet, thus causing a loss of Rs100 million to the national exchequer.

The Executive Board of the NAB also decided to authorise three investigations in a case against officers/officials of Pak PWD Lahore and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for mis-procurement and non-transparency in tendering process in CCD-1, Pak PWD, Lahore, thus causing a loss of Rs153 million to the national exchequer. The Board also authorised inquiry against Ali Madad Sher, ex-minister education, Gilgit Baltistan.  In this case, the accused person is alleged for accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income.

Another inquiry was authorised against officials of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the complaint of PAC and in this case, the accused persons were alleged for 2(AR 1996-97) irregular expenditure of $27, 547, 21 on medical treatment of information minister and 3(AR 1996-97) injudicious utilisation of 85 percent entertainment allowance of $28, 560.

Another inquiry was authorised against officials of Privatization Commission of Pakistan and others and in this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority and loss to national exchequer for alleged corruption in the Privatization of Pak-American Fertilizer Ltd, Daudkhel, Mianwali, in 2009 in which M/S Ibrahim Fiber Pvt Ltd (IFL) was successful bidder for Rs19.99 billion.

Another inquiry was authorised against Muhammad Saleem Rafi, CEO, M/s Hilton Trans, Muhammad Arshad Latif, Director, M/s Hilton Trans and Qamar Mahmood Khan, Director, M/s Hilton Trans referred by Governor State Bank of Pakistan u/s 31-D of NAO-1999 on the allegation of wilful loan default of Rs125.171 million.