NAB to file references against ex-ministers, navy officers

Decision taken at EBM chaired by Qamar Zaman Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: The country’s top anti-graft body has decided to file four corruption references against navy officers, former ministers and businessmen for their role in corruption and misuse of authority.

The body also decided to initiate inquiry against some former ministers and revenue officials for causing huge loss to the national kitty, said a press release.



The decisions were taken at the executive board meeting of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) held at the bureau’s headquarters on Tuesday with Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry in the chair.

The board decided to file a reference against Syed Murid Kazim, former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Revenue for misuse of authority in illegal transfer of 1,976 kanals state land in Dera Ismail Khan in the name of Naval Families Rehabilitation Organization (NFRO) Bahawalpur. 91 kanals worth Rs98.65 million is still in the possession of the accused, it said. NAB has already requested the Navy for action against naval officers involved in the case.

The second corruption reference was approved against Saeed Ahmad Qureshi, owner of Sultan Flour and General Mills Multan who obtained 4,863.863 million tons of wheat on subsidized rates for processing in his flour mills. The accused, however, sold the wheat in the open market and caused Rs23,79,184 loss to the national exchequer.



Third reference was approved against Ahsanullah Khan, former senior member Board of Revenue, officials of Revenue Department K-P and others for illegally promoting Naib Tehsildars against the rules and regulations by misusing authority, causing a huge loss to the national exchequer.

Fourth reference was approved against Moeen Aftab Shaikh, former Chairman, Pakistan Steel Mills, and Sameen Asghar, former director, PSM causing Rs188,160,000 loss to the national exchequer.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th,  2016.