NAB to probe former ETB chairman, others

Three investigations and two inquires authorised at board meeting

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) decided to file a reference against Asif Hashmi, former chairman, Evacuee Trust Board (ETB) and others, on Wednesday.

The bureau’s executive board, chaired by NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, authorised three investigations against the board related to illegal investments, unauthorised appointments and illegal plot allotments causing a loss of nearly Rs986 million to the national exchequer.

The first related to illegal investments of Rs985.56 million with High Links Capital. The second was on appointments, promotions and illegal regularisations. The third was regarding illegal allotment of plots to ETB employees.

Read: NAB files references against two civil servants

The ETB allegedly made illegal appointments made to the board in violation of rules. A total of 716 illegal appointments were made against 180 sanctioned positions, causing a loss of nearly Rs0.4 million.

NAB will also investigate Mian Masood Akhtar, former superintendent engineers, Pakistan Public Works Department and others, for embezzlement of Rs105 million in execution of work for construction and rehabilitation of a carpet-metalled road from Danday Wala Pull on Jhang Road to Danghroo Pull in NA-81 of Faisalabad.

An investigation against Fateh Textile Mills and others was authorised for illegally excavating coal from Lakhra District in Sindh, causing a loss of Rs2.241 billion.

The meeting also decided to investigate officials of Provincial Reserve Centre on Sariab Road, Quetta among others, for embezzling government wheat bags from the centre, causing a loss of over Rs15 million.

The meeting also decided to investigate Syed Masoom Shah, special assistant to former chief minister, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Shah is accused of corruption, and accumulation of assets disproportionate to known sources of income.

The meeting authorised two inquiries. The first was against Syed Nusrat Shaukat and others, for routing millions of rupees through financial institutions, causing a loss of Rs5 billion. The second was authorised against Sheikh Arif Elahi, chairman National Shipping Corporation and others, for corruption.

Read: NAB action in Punjab: PML-N leaders to bear brunt of investigations

The meeting also decided to re-open an inquiry against officials of Sindh’s Information and Archives Department, among others, for embezzling advertising funds, causing a loss of Rs5.875 billion. In this case, the meeting approved the voluntary return requests of Fawad Alam for Rs71.292 million; Abdul Qadir Shah for Rs74.4 million; and former MPA Qasim Zia’s interim liability of Rs19.48 million.

Other cases decided at the meeting included: Rs3.8 million embezzlement case in Pakistan Railways; China Harbour Engineering Company; and Standard Chartered Bank, Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2015.