Pakistan

NICL scam: Behind-the-scenes deal uncovered

Niazi reveals top guns of Transparency International offered to help clear his name in corruption cases.

Rauf Klasra December 16, 2010

ISLAMABAD: A multi-billion-rupee National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL) scam continues to unfurl surprise after surprise as FIA investigators uncover a behind-the-scenes deal.

The detained chairman, Ayaz Khan Niazi, has revealed that the top guns of Transparency International (TI), Pakistan, had offered to help him clear his name in corruption cases presently with the Supreme Court, if he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to award all lucrative contracts on their recommendation in the future.

An absconding NICL board member, Qasim Amin Dada, wanted by the FIA in this same Rs4 billion land scam, tried to convince his colleagues to strike a deal with TI representatives, according to Niazi.

Dada’s son is married to the daughter of Aqeel Dhedhi, an influential stock broker. And the investigators believe that Dhedhi is using his political and financial clout to stop the investigation and also block attempts to smoke out Dada from his hiding place.

TI volunteered to present a fact-finding report to the SC establishing the innocence of NICL officials. In return NICL would award contracts solely to private parties cleared by TI and advertise tenders in newspapers after referring to the agency for advice.

Ayaz Khan Niazi is presently being questioned by Director FIA, Zafar Ahmed Qureshi in Lahore, after the high-profile accused in two cases of land fraud, was escorted from Karachi on the orders of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, to probe his role in the land and property scam involving the Warraich family.

NICL is also facing charges of misappropriating millions of rupees paid to a private party for office renovation. Payment to the contractor has been made in full but the job is still continuing.

The allegation against TI is considered to be very serious, as Niazi has given details of TI officials’ involvement in the alleged blackmail in his 30-page written statement to the FIA official, Zafar Qureshi.

Niazi said he and his colleagues refused TI’s unconventional offer. He named three other board members who were present when Dada negotiated on TI’s behalf.

The Express Tribune made several attempts to contact Chairman TI, Adil Gilani, for his side of the story, but without success.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (13)

Ismail | 13 years ago | Reply Amin Qasim Dada has political links that are saving him so far, his two sons, one studying in london and the other in Germany, the elder son's wife is daughter of reknowned businessman Aqeel Karim Dhedhi. No wonder the riches in the country have been ripping off the poor. I salute the supreme court of Pakistan for uncovering this drama and taking action against the culprits. People like Amin Dada and Aqeel Dhedhi and anyone else who is involved in such scams should be hanged publically. It was just the politicians before, now seems like the white collared businessmen are also eating up the country.

Skeptic | 13 years ago | Reply Why is everyone automatically assuming that TI is guilty? There has been no evidence, no proof or anything else beyond the testimony of a corrupt criminal. If this fradulent individual was to accuse the Chief Justice of similar behaviour, would you all automatically start blaming him as well? Let's not lose sight of the fact that the main culprit in all of this, and the person who appears to have benefitted the most, is Ayaz Niazi himself.

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Malik T | 13 years ago | Reply Such a scam could not have occurred without support and participation of those in power or their sons. If this was just confined to NICL, than action would have been taken against Ayaz Niazi when reports were published initially. The fact that this was not done proves that powerful members of this government are involved. After all the PM must have approved his summary for appointment, which clearly states that he was just a Manager of a night club and had neither the qualification, nor experience for this assignment. The PM has approved similar appointments of an FA pass NAB convict as Chairman NHA, an O'Level with a history of financial irregularities as MD of PIA, etc etc etc. The most recent is grant of extension to Chairman NHA

Milton | 13 years ago | Reply Transparency International is not transparent. It is use a cover by those in TI to twist arms and twist tails. Adil works for many parties in the maritime sector including the cargo terminals and the port authorities. He will play many sides and one party against another. He has consultancy contracts among the competing terminals. It is also Adil who brought in TI Treasurer, Khurrum Abbas who was relieved of his duties due to alleged irregularites at one of the container terminals.

SeldomWisdom | 13 years ago | Reply This is one of the most courageous pieces of journalism. Well done to ET and Rauf Klasra for exposing the corruption of fraudulent Transparency International Pakistan. I implore the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto action against corrupt. I am shocked that USAID gave Gilani, who was fired from KPT on corruption charges, a $1.5 million contract to monitor corruption!

Anonymous | 13 years ago | Reply Who is this Amin Dada character? His name has just begun to surface? Can anyone provide any details as to what this guy does and what are the authorities doing in locating him??

bukhari jamil | 13 years ago | Reply wow, salmaan taseer was right abt these guys eh?

bukhari jamil | 13 years ago | Reply Salmaan taseer was right

Iftikhar-ur-Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply Nothing surprises me anymore here in Pakistan.

hassan | 13 years ago | Reply we know very welll that corruption is taking place in every part of our contry, media can play very important role in the elimination of corruption, but we can see mostly journalits whether working in electronic or print media are not doing their job properly, they have become lazy and greedy, i think they should work hard and disclose the corruption of govt n pak forces n other blablaaaaa... with proofs on daily basis and dont let corrupt ppl to prevail in our society.

Aftab Kenneth Wilson | 13 years ago | Reply I think it is time to investigate the role of Transparency International (Pakistani Chapter) in this black mailing business. There are certainly some local and foreign Big Wigs behinds this game plans. FIA or any other concerned Office must look into this Scam of International nature. I hope some quick action will be taken and all culprits will be brought to justice no matter what ever office he or she holds.

Ahmad Sheikh | 13 years ago | Reply This is a sad revelation about Transparency International, but in todays society, so believable. At the end of the day they have turned out to be more corrupt than the people they have been and much worse, as they are blackmailers. The Chief Justice should give them exemplary punishment as they claimed to be an organization protecting the moral fibre of our society while they were nothing but opportunists and blackmailers.

Haris Chaudhry | 13 years ago | Reply In this citadel of islam, the purest of the pure and defenders of faith, even Transparency International isnt spared by these corrupt faithfuls. TI is meant to be exposing corruption not abetting it. I wonder how low can the people and the nation can go ! And to think of those that point their fingers at west and America for all ills in this land of pure... you ve got to wake up and smell the roses. We are truly a corrupt to the core society and nation. Just in the last 10 days, 15 large scams involving half of ministries and now TI's involvement worth tens of billions of rupees.. shame on the collective soul of Pakistan. Haris

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