Six NICL scam accused in UK: FIA
Mohsin Warraich, Amin Qasim Dada among those said to be in Britain.
LAHORE:
Federal investigators believe as many as six accused wanted in the National Insurance Company (NICL) are in the United Kingdom, assuming the country to be a safe haven.
As of yet, there is no formal extradition treaty between Britain and Pakistan.
The accused include Mohsin Habib Warraich, directors on the NICL board - Amin Qasim Dada and Javed Syed, Muhammad Iqbal Hussain, Khalid A Khan and Khwaja Akbar, the front man of the former NICL chief Ayaz Khan Niazi, who is also wanted in the case. Interpol has issued ‘Red notices’ against all of them.
According to information gathered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), funds worth Rs900 million in connection with a piece of land in Korangi, Karachi were deposited in a joint account run by Khalid Anwar Khan and Khwaja Akbar Butt. Zafar Salim is said to be the real beneficiary.
Investigation showed that the money was transferred into the account of Khwaja Akbar by Khalid Anwar Khan.
Zafar Salim is learnt to have obtained post-dated cheques from Khalid A Khan and Khwaja Akbar before transferring the money into their joint account
Meanwhile, FIA sent back answers to queries raised by UK authorities via Interpol.
Mohsin Habib Warraich, who is the son of former state minister for defence production Habibullah Warraich, had raised certain objections to the allegations levelled by Pakistani authorities.
Mohsin Warraich contended that his father, who served as a state minister, was being victimised by the current government because of his “closeness” to former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.
The FIA has rejected these charges and said that both Habibullah and Mohsin Warraich were involved in misappropriation, causing a loss to the national exchequer worth Rs2.75 billion through two dubious land deals.
The FIA has also attached copies of FIRs, a gist of allegations and court orders passed against Mohsin Habib and his father Habibullah Warraich along with other annexures.
FIA authorities said that there was sufficient evidence of the accused’s involvement in misappropriation.
Meanwhile, FIA again summoned acting NICL chairman Tariq Iqbal Puri and others to appear on or before March 11 under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Nespak official Farhat Adil said that a fresh valuation report relating to a piece of land, measuring 20 kanals and 2 marlas bought by NICL for Rs1.653 billion from Mohsin Warraich, had been sent to the NICL on February 9.
Zafar Ahmad Qureshi, the additional director-general of the FIA who is also heading the NICL investigation team, told The Express Tribune that the acting NICL chairman wanted to “favour the accused in a bid to save them”, adding that the delay in producing the valuation report was proof enough to implicate him.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2011.
Federal investigators believe as many as six accused wanted in the National Insurance Company (NICL) are in the United Kingdom, assuming the country to be a safe haven.
As of yet, there is no formal extradition treaty between Britain and Pakistan.
The accused include Mohsin Habib Warraich, directors on the NICL board - Amin Qasim Dada and Javed Syed, Muhammad Iqbal Hussain, Khalid A Khan and Khwaja Akbar, the front man of the former NICL chief Ayaz Khan Niazi, who is also wanted in the case. Interpol has issued ‘Red notices’ against all of them.
According to information gathered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), funds worth Rs900 million in connection with a piece of land in Korangi, Karachi were deposited in a joint account run by Khalid Anwar Khan and Khwaja Akbar Butt. Zafar Salim is said to be the real beneficiary.
Investigation showed that the money was transferred into the account of Khwaja Akbar by Khalid Anwar Khan.
Zafar Salim is learnt to have obtained post-dated cheques from Khalid A Khan and Khwaja Akbar before transferring the money into their joint account
Meanwhile, FIA sent back answers to queries raised by UK authorities via Interpol.
Mohsin Habib Warraich, who is the son of former state minister for defence production Habibullah Warraich, had raised certain objections to the allegations levelled by Pakistani authorities.
Mohsin Warraich contended that his father, who served as a state minister, was being victimised by the current government because of his “closeness” to former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.
The FIA has rejected these charges and said that both Habibullah and Mohsin Warraich were involved in misappropriation, causing a loss to the national exchequer worth Rs2.75 billion through two dubious land deals.
The FIA has also attached copies of FIRs, a gist of allegations and court orders passed against Mohsin Habib and his father Habibullah Warraich along with other annexures.
FIA authorities said that there was sufficient evidence of the accused’s involvement in misappropriation.
Meanwhile, FIA again summoned acting NICL chairman Tariq Iqbal Puri and others to appear on or before March 11 under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Nespak official Farhat Adil said that a fresh valuation report relating to a piece of land, measuring 20 kanals and 2 marlas bought by NICL for Rs1.653 billion from Mohsin Warraich, had been sent to the NICL on February 9.
Zafar Ahmad Qureshi, the additional director-general of the FIA who is also heading the NICL investigation team, told The Express Tribune that the acting NICL chairman wanted to “favour the accused in a bid to save them”, adding that the delay in producing the valuation report was proof enough to implicate him.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2011.