NAB action sought against PM’s ‘corrupt’ secretary

Three lawyers question Fawad Hasan Fawad’s ownership of multi-storey building

ISLAMABAD: A petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday, seeking directives for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take “strict action” against the prime minister’s principal secretary for his alleged involvement in mega corruption.

The petition filed by three lawyers questions how a Grade 21 officer – Fawad Hasan Fawad – managed to construct and own a multi-storey building, valuing more than Rs12 billion in Rawalpindi.

The petitioners – Khurram Mahmood, Sabir Ahmed and Tufail Shahzad – have made the director-general NAB, MNA Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar, Fawad Hasan, his brother Waqar Hassan, and two others, namely Chaudhry Qamar and Gul Zareen Khan, as respondents in the case.

The petitioners have stated that “information is circulating” that Fawad – in collusion with his brother Waqar as well as Zareen and Chaudhry – constructed a huge commercial project in the heart of Rawalpindi’s commercial area.



They have submitted that nine out of 10 floors of the building are owned by Fawad and his brother, and constructed by using their influence to secure financing in the real estate sector through JS Bank Limited.

They have further submitted that while the State Bank of Pakistan had strict prudential regulations regarding investment in construction of buildings and projects, the facility was granted by a commercial bank through investment.

According to the petitioners, such a facility was not provided by the bank to any other person in Rawalpindi or Islamabad during that year, and that such an influence of a government servant and misuse of his official capacity for securing finances from a commercial bank is a sufficient proof of his corruption.

They have alleged that Fawad and his brother simply secured the commercial plot opposite GPO, Sadar from Zareen in exchange for a residential plot located on Haider Road in Rawalpindi.

“This needs to be explored by NAB as to what were the terms of this exchange,” the petition says, adding that it must also be ensured that no detriment is caused to the national exchequer in a direct or indirect manner by the government functionaries, who are a party to this agreement directly, through wife or through immediate blood relations.



The petitioners also want other allegations of corruption against Fawad explored, such as a ‘gift’ of land in Okara; his shares in New City Project Taxila and Lahore Motorway City project; and his involvement in the famous JS and Sprint Energy scandal, regarding CNG stations.

“A government servant has constructed a plaza valued at more than Rs12 billion in Rawalpindi and NAB is silent,” the petition reads. “This inaction by NAB is providing encouragement to all government functionaries that corruption is going unchecked in Pakistan.”

The petition says that the NAB is only pursuing cases of low grade and junior officers while it remains silent against the powerful and mighty in the country. It stresses “grave and urgent need for the recovery of state money and other assets from persons who have misappropriated or removed such money or assets through corruption, corrupt practices and misuse of power or authority”.