As per procedures, a bank has to send a case of loan default to the central bank to forward it to NAB. In some instances banks have directly approached NAB for the recovery of defaulted amount.

BoP said it has sent 41 cases of defaults worth over Rs38.50 billion to NAB and 42 cases worth of Rs18.79 billion to SBP under section 31-D of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999.

The 83 cases are in addition to 66 loan default cases BoP has sent to the central bank for referral to NAB. Out of these SBP has so far forwarded 24 loan default cases involving Rs8.25 billion to NAB.

The corruption watchdog is reluctant to bite some big defaulters of BoP. The bank has sent reminders to NAB but it has yet to take action against a son-in-law of former governor of Punjab Khalid Maqbool and other influential loan defaulters, sources familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune.

In most cases the loan defaulters have acquired stay orders from the Lahore High Court, the BoP management stated in its report.

Due to these circumstances only 24 out of 66 cases have so far been referred to the NAB by the SBP, while the rest of the cases are still pending action.

The record shows that the directors of six companies of a leading textile group fraudulently and dishonestly caused loss worth of Rs7.320 billion to the bank. Though the central bank has referred the case to NAB for recovering the defaulted amount, the bureau is reluctant to initiate any legal action against the borrowers.

Similarly, the NAB was averse to initiating inquiry against another company for not paying back the Rs28 million loan.

In a letter addressed to the DG NAB Punjab, the BoP management also requested for initiating inquiry against ex-directors of the bank who had obtained loans worth Rs18.4 billion during their tenure.

In its report the Bop Management further stated that due to special attention of the Supreme Court, an amount of about Rs31 billion on account of non-performing loans have been recovered since 2009.

On  Monday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ,while hearing the Bank of Punjab loan scandal, had directed the BoP counsel to apprise the bench at the next hearing about the money recovered from defaulters and the actions that it took against defaulters. The hearing of case was adjourned till May 22.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.

Regulations for disbursements of funds of Rs74.412 billion to eligible persons and families were not approved by the BISP Board, the Audit and Inspection Report of the programme, for the audit year 2012-13 and financial year 2010-12, stated.

The report was prepared by Saqib Latif, audit expert, Nauman Danish, assistant audit officer, Sarosh Jalees, senior auditor under supervision of Director Muhammad Raza Shah.

The contents of the audit document available with The Express Tribune further state that a review of the BISP Board meetings from October 19, 2010 to January 20, 2012 indicate that the Board had not approved or notified any rules for distribution of funds.

The Board had on an ad-hoc basis approved various initiatives under the programme. However no directives were provided for making payments. Audit is of the view that the payments made are “irregular” in light of the provision contained in the BISP Act 2010.

The management, however, replied to the audit finding, saying that all the payments are being made after approval of standard operating procedure by the BISP Board. The regulations have been formulated and the process of making sub-regulations relating to different operational areas is under way, the reply added.

The audit team rejected the reply, reiterating the point that the BISP management has not been notified with any regulations in the light of the BISP Act 2010.

The report recommended that regulations be notified in accordance with the BISP Act 2010, section 6(I)(d) of which states that the Board’s powers and functions shall be to make regulations and approve policies and manuals.

The section 12 of the act states that funds of the programme shall be disbursed to eligible persons and families in a manner approved by the Board and prescribed in the regulations.

Disbursement record

The BISP management made payments during 2010-12 under various programmes that include Poverty Scorecard System, Parliamentarian System, Waseela-e-Haq, Waseela-e-Rozghar, Waseela-e-Sehat, Emergency Relief Package and among internally displaced persons (IDPs).

According to the audit report, from total of Rs74.412 billion disbursed during financial year 2010-11 and 2011-12, Rs48.310 billion were distributed through Poverty Scorecard System, Rs16.526 billion through Parliamentarian System, Rs1.848 billion through Waseela-e-Haq, Rs266,802 million through Waseela-e-Rozghar, Rs2.747 billion through Waseela-e-Sehat, Rs4.451 billion through Emergency Relief Package while an amount of Rs261,967 million has been distributed among IDPs.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2013.

Muhammad Zaheer Shakeel was appointed staff officer to the chairman in BPS-18 and Madiha Irum was appointed personal assistant to the chairman in BPS-17 illegally despite the facts that NAB had declared the postings of both officers as void from the beginning, documents further stated.

“Foregoing in view, it is proposed that NAB asks the Establishment Division to treat this bureau’s letter bearing No3 (873)/S/2012-PM-I respecting aforesaid officers as void-ab-initio,” the contents of the minutes’ sheet issued with the stamp and signature of Muhammad Farooq, Additional Director CP&PM read.

Bokhari used his powers under Section 28(f) of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999 to regularise the services of Shakeel and Irum, who were hired on contractual basis although neither of them fulfils the human resource criteria of NAB.

Irum had secured 37 out of 100 marks and Shakeel had secured 47 out of 100 marks in the National Testing Service (NTS) examination dated June 23, 2012 when they had applied for the post of BPS-17 and BPS-18 respectively.

The only eligibility of the two officials was the benevolence of the NAB chairman. Both Shakeel and Irum work for the educational institution run by the NAB chairman’s daughter, while he too is associated with this institution, officials of the bureau confirmed.

According to Para ‘C’ of the minutes sheet of Human Resources Wing of the NAB available with The Express Tribune, “Contractual employees working against posts that are to be filled through Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) must be clearly identified in the information to be furnished to the Cabinet Committee.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.

FIA Immigration officials deployed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport had previously received information that there would be an attempt to traffic as many as 90 people to Libya on fake travelling documents. They checked the immigration stamps of the 28 passengers, requested Protectorate of Emigrants officials to verify them, and discovered that they had been forged. The passengers were bound for Libya via Abu Dhabi on Ittehad Airlines flight EY-242.

FIA Immigration Assistant Director Samiullah and Inspector Riaz then referred the 28 people to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) police station for the registration of a case against these 28 passengers and their agents.

The passengers told the FIA that they had paid their agents between Rs150,000 and Rs350,000 to obtain work visas in Libya.

FIA Immigration Deputy Director Naveed Atif said they had been tipped about an attempt to smuggle people to Libya and had beefed security and vigilance to foil it. All airlines had been served a notice not to allow the passengers to board the plane without verifying their stamps from the Protectorate of Emigrants, he said.

While 28 passengers had been arrested, he said, they would keep a look out for the rest of the 90 passengers.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2013.

Sanaullah Ranjay, a convicted murderer, was assaulted early Friday in Jammu, Indian-administered Kashmir, a day after the Indian home ministry ordered stepped up security for jailed Pakistanis.

“It was a scuffle between the Pakistani prisoner and Vinod Kumar, who is an ex-Indian army soldier. Both of them were serving life-imprisonment,” said K Rajendra, the state’s director general of prisons.

According to the Indian media, Sanaullah received serious head injuries and was first rushed to the Medical College Hospital in Jammu, where medics said he had slipped into a coma, much like Sarabjit, who was attacked on April 26 and died Thursday.

Sanaullah was later flown to Chandigarh in an air ambulance and admitted to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). Doctors reported that Sanaullah has been put on a ventilator.

Pakistan condemned the attack and demanded Sanaullah’s immediate repatriation for better medical treatment.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry told a weekly press briefing that Islamabad summoned India’s deputy high commissioner to lodge a strong protest over the incident.

The spokesperson described the attack on Sanaullah as ‘obvious retaliation’ for the death of Sarabjit and demanded a probe by Indian authorities. “We have also reminded the government of India of its responsibility in ensuring the safety and security of all Pakistani prisoners lodged in Indian jails,” he added.

India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid regretted the incident and termed it an ‘extremely distressing’. “Injuries caused to a person in incarceration is unacceptable and sad. Therefore, we are cooperating with Pakistan…,” The Times of India quoted Khursheed as saying. However, he rejected Pakistan’s claim that it was a retaliatory attack.

Muslim prisoner dies in Tihar jail

Accroding to The Times of India a Muslim inmate was allegedly beaten up by other prisoners in Delhi’s Tihar Jail after clashes erupted in the prison.

The deceased, identified as Javed, was rushed to Deen Dayal Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Prison officials said no Pakistani prisoner was involved in the clash and that the reason of clash is yet to be investigated.

Kot Lakhpat Jail officials suspended

Kot Lakhpat jail’s superintendent and his two deputies have been suspended for negligence following Sarabjit’s death. IG Prisons Mian Farooq Nazeer confirmed the development to The Express Tribune. He added that the home department has issued the suspension orders.

Initially, show-cause notices were served to Superintendent Mohsin Rafique, Additional Superintendent Ishtiaq and Deputy Superintendent Ghulam Sarwar Sumra, but they failed to file a satisfactory reply.

Earlier, another four officials, Assistant Superintendent Sardar Ahmed, Chief Chakar Shaukat, Head Warder Ehsan and Warder Safdar were suspended. According to notification new postings have also been made.

Caretaker Home Minister Tariq Pervez said that he has ordered a judicial inquiry into the fatal attack on Sarabjit.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2013.

Maj (retd) Syed Burhan Ali, who was serving as DG NAB Balochistan, has been transferred and posted as Director Awareness and Prevention (A&P) in Punjab. He had been one of the petitioners against NAB Chairman Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari, while his predecessor Squadron Leader (retd) Irshadul Haq has been posted as Director Investigation Wing-II in Punjab.

It has been learnt through sources in NAB that DG Financial Crime Investigation Wing (FCIW) Kausar Iqbal Malik has been sent on forced vacation, while transfers of Col (retd) Subah Sadiq, the DG NAB Rawalpindi chapter and Sajid Ali, Director FCIW in NAB Punjab chapter are also expected shortly.

Col (retd) Subah Sadiq had submitted references against then premiers Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and his predecessor Yousaf Raza Gilani in the Rental Power Project (RPPs) cases without the consent or permission of the chairman.

Khalid Shah, Director A&P in Balochistan, has been posted as the director general of the provincial chapter, while NAB Director General Operations, Col (retd) Shahzad Anwar Bhatti, has been transferred from NAB headquarters in Islamabad to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as Director General of the provincial chapter.

Other transfers included Nauman Aslam, Tauheedul Hassan, serving director of the human resource department now posted as Director IT and Administration, and Abdul Hafeez who has been appointed as Director HR in the headquarters.

Zahir Shah, recently appointed as DG in BPS-21, has assumed charge as DG NAB Operations at the headquarters. Earlier, Shah had served as director in BPS-20.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2013.

PML-N

Some of the steps envisaged by the PML-N include the integration of Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) into the country‘s political mainstream. This is linked to poverty alleviation in these areas and providing employment to the youth, making them stake-holders in peace and security.

PML-N wants educational reforms so that madrassahs follow the same syllabus as the government schools. The party’s manifesto points out that it is important to amend anti-terrorism laws and related legislation. The PML-N’s manifesto emphasises the need to overhaul and modernise the security sector, including enhancing the capacity for counter insurgency forces at different levels.

MQM

The MQM’s manifesto calls for the immediate development of a National Counter Terrorism Policy in consultation with elected representatives, police, bureaucracy and the armed forces.

Their manifesto includes suggestions of incorporating meaningful changes in the judicial process.

Ensuring the independence of law enforcement authorities by freeing them from the clutches of political control is an important part of their manifesto.

The MQM plans to address the root causes of terrorism, which they identify as poverty, religious extremism, unjust policies and illiteracy.

They also call for the launching of a rigorous public awareness campaign in collaboration with citizens and religious scholars to curb religious extremism, hatred, fanaticism and terrorism.

JI 

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI)’s manifesto says the party is against both private and state terrorism. Therefore, the JI government would immediately attempt to stop drone attacks, terrorist attacks and military operations alike. It says that the visas of all foreigners issued without security clearance would be cancelled. The people involved in terrorism, target killings, extortion would be exposed and brought to justice.

PPP-P

The PPP, keeping in view its five years’ experience of facing terrorism, promises to enhance research and intelligence work which it says is the key to unearthing extremist outfits. It also has a plan to regulate all Madrassas through a Federal Madrassa Board to ensure that the curriculum adheres to the national education policy. The PPP hopes to initiate a process of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration for any militant group or individual willing to renounce violence.

PTI

PTI identifies three types of terrorism that are afflicting Pakistan: sub-nationalist (insurgent), religious extremists (Sectarian and War on Terror related militancy) and mafia terrorism (particularly in Karachi). PTI recognises the need to fight this scourge on multiple fronts simultaneously: To provide security for ordinary citizens so that terrorists are unable to melt into the population; and also to convince the militants to lay down their arms and come to the dialogue table. The PTI is clear that militants will have to lay down their arms during peace talks. The manifesto also says that the PTI will make an earnest attempt at reaching out to the people of Balochistan and FATA, in an attempt to resolve their genuine political grievances. PTI is very clear about a “no to drones” policy. It also says it will go for de-weaponisation along with the dissolution of militant wings of political parties.  PTI will also extricate Pakistan from the US-led War on Terror policy. Their manifesto includes plans to introduce the “Insaf Economic Package” for addressing the devastation caused by a decade of war. The financial channels funding militants and extremists will also be immediately closed.

ANP

The Awami National Party (ANP)’s manifesto reiterates its commitment to peace in the country and says it will not let the sacrifices of the people of Pakistan, especially ANP members, go in vain.

ANP says it will ensure that the state implements its writ in FATA and purges the country of all terror networks.

Its manifesto also calls for evolving a consensus on the integration of FATA and PATA into the mainstream and says it will seek negotiations with all those who renounce violence.

The ANP also says it will work on a mechanism based on professional and well-coordinated intelligence and the reform of security policies. ANP will evolve a standard policy for compensation, including a comprehensive public insurance policy, for victims of sectarian violence and terrorism.  The policy will be extended to FATA where the people have been hardest hit by terrorism and extremism.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2013.

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned Pakistan Peoples Party leader Senator Jahangir Badar’s son and two brothers of former Chairman of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority Tauqir Sadiq, the principal accused in a multi-billion rupee scandal.

NAB has unearthed some suspicious transactions belonging to Badar’s son, Ali Zulifqar Badar on account of the OGRA scandal, official documents available with The Express Tribune revealed. The bureau has also sought complete details including moveable, immovable properties and bank account details from the accused Tanvir Sadiq, Taufeeq Sadiq and Ali Zulfiqar Badar.

In this regard, the NAB Rawalpindi chapter dispatched copies of summons to the Capital City Police Officer Lahore for ensuring the production of Ali Zulifqar Badar, Tanvir Sadiq and Taufeeq Sadiq before the NAB Investigation team on April 30.

Three officials of the Monitoring and Vigilance Department of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, namely Executive Director Imran Butt, Deputy Director Asif Amin and Assistant Director Tayaba, have recorded their statements and provided record to NAB regarding inside trading and selling and purchasing of shares of Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Ltd and Sui Southern Gas Pipeline Ltd by some influential brokers.

The document reveals that due to some influential brokers with the connivance of then OGRA Chairman Tauqir Sadiq, concerned officials of SECP, NBP and other dignitaries of the outgoing PPP-led government purchased the shares of SNGP, SSGPL from open market at Rs16 to Rs18 per share and later sold these shares to NBP and some state-owned companies at about Rs36 per share, causing a hefty loss to the public exchequer.

These officials said that in this regard an inquiry has also been pending with the securities watchdog and during the preliminary inquiry some allegations have been proved but the SECP could not initiate criminal proceedings against those found guilty because of influence exerted by outgoing SECP chairman Muhammad Ali and SECP Commissioner Imtiaz Haider.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2013.

The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued 15-day gratis visas to four members of Sarabjit’s family – his wife Sukhpreet Kaur, sister Dalbir Kaur, and daughters Poonam and Swapandeep Kaur – to meet the Indian prisoner who is in a deep coma and on ventilator at the Jinnah Hospital.

A senior official of an intelligence agency confirmed to The Express Tribune that the visas have been issued to four members of Sarabjit’s family. They are scheduled to arrive at Wagah border at 10:00 am today (Sunday).

Sarabjit Singh, who was sentenced to death 16 years ago on espionage charges, was rushed to the Jinnah Hospital on Friday with multiple wounds, including a severe head injury, after his fellow inmates  hit him with bricks, following an altercation.

“Sarabjit’s condition is critical with multiple wounds to his head, abdomen, jaws and other body parts, and he has been put on ventilator,” a doctor in Jinnah Hospital told AFP. “He is fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and the next 24 hours are critical,” the doctor said, adding that the head injury was ‘quite severe’.

“He needs surgery but the doctors are not performing it because they don’t want to take any chances and want him to stabilise,” he said.

Sarabjit’s lawyer Owais Sheikh told The Express Tribune on Saturday that the hospital management had barred him from seeing his client. According to the doctors, Sarabjit is still in coma, he added.

Sarabjit was arrested following a bomb blast in Lahore in 1990 that had killed 14 people. Subsequently, he was convicted of espionage and sentenced to death by a court. Previously, his family had filed mercy petitions seeking Sarabjit’s release. The Pakistani government maintains that Sarabjit was an Indian spy, but family says he is a farmer who accidentally crossed the border into Pakistan while drunk.

The attack on Sarabjit was front-page news in Indian newspapers on Saturday, with Indian television stations running frequent updates on his condition and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh describing it as a ‘very sad incident’, according to the Press Trust of India.

The Indian news agency reported that two retired Indian judges, part of a joint India-Pakistan panel, are set to visit the Kot Lakhpat prison.

A senior home ministry official told PTI that Justices KS Gill and MA Khan and their Pakistani counterparts, all members of the India-Pakistan Joint Judicial Committee of Prisoners, are scheduled to visit Kot Lakhpat jail within a day or two to see the conditions of Indian inmates.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2013.

In fact, not only was the SC not kept in the loop, NAB also sought more time from the apex court on Wednesday to conduct further investigations despite already closing the case.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, which were headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, NAB Prosecutor General (Accountability) KK Agha requested the court to grant an extra month to the bureau so that it could complete its investigation. This time, Agha said, was needed to comply with the court’s orders regarding the filing of references against the accused before the accountability court and for initiating action against them.

But official documents available with The Express Tribune reveal that the investigation into the RPPs scandal was ended three days before the end of the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government’s tenure.

On March 13, the executive board meeting of NAB closed the investigations into the alleged corrupt practices and misuse of authority in awarding the 192 megawatts RPP contract to Pakistan Power Resources Piranghib Multan.

According to the documents, the investigation was closed on the grounds that “Since there is no money trail, Mens rea (guilty mind or intent) cannot be proved and there is only violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Rules and it appears that the violation was resorted to [in order to] save money.”

Similarly, the anti-graft body also ended its investigation into the 150MW RPP contract which was awarded to Techno Engineering Services (Pvt) Ltd at Sahuwal, Sialkot, causing Rs20.44 million in losses to the national exchequer.

The contents of the meeting’s decision regarding this case reads: “Investigation Officer failed to collect any evidence about a criminal act and the money trail so mens rea cannot be established, and there is only violation of PPRA Rules and it appears that the violation was resorted to save money. The investigation into the government functionaries is closed except the company, which should be offered Voluntary Return if any amount is due against them.”

The reasons given by NAB to justify the closure of the investigation suggest that many high profile government officials who were allegedly involved in corruption amounting to billions of rupees have been given a clean chit.

The winding up of the cases, at least by NAB, is good news for the accused, which include Ashraf, former finance minister Shaukat Tarin, former finance secretary Salman Siddique, former water and power secretary Shahid Rafi and former establishment and water and power secretary Ismail Qureshi, among others.

The copy of the letter pertaining to the minutes of the EB meeting held on March 13 at NAB headquarters was issued with the stamp and signature of Brigadier (retd) Farooq Naseer Awan, the principal secretary to NAB chairman.

The Supreme Court on January 15, 2013 had ordered NAB to arrest former premier Ashraf and 15 others, including Tareen.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Chaudhry also directed NAB to submit a report on January 17.

The court said that, on the face of it, the accountability body’s investigating officers case were not being allowed to ensure the implementation of the court’s judgment in letter and spirit.

Kamran Faisal, one of the lead investigators in the case was also found dead on January 18.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.