Complaints against Zaeem Qadri to be verified

NAB Lahore told to complete the process within two months

In what could be a blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in Punjab, the apex anti-corruption watchdog on Monday ordered to verify a corruption complaint filed against senior party leader Zaeem Qadri.

In a meeting at the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Headquarters in Islamabad on Monday, the body’s chief, Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal, reviewed the overall performance of the anti-corruption body as well as all regional bureaus of NAB.

Implementation status of various orders issued by the NAB chief was also reviewed. Various divisions of the body, including prosecution, operations, awareness and prevention highlighted gave a review of their performance.

The NAB chairman directed officials to implement the 173 decisions the Supreme Court had issued relating to the body. He reiterated that inquiries and investigations should be completed while remaining within the ambit of the law.

Justice Iqbal said that the country had a foreign debt of $84 billion while cellular companies had allegedly failed to pay around Rs400 billion in taxes to the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR).



He ordered NAB Lahore director general to initiate the process of verifying complaints filed against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Punjab Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Zaeem Qadri and others who allegedly drew undue benefits from the Punjab Small Industrial Cooperative Employees Housing Society in Lahore and had illegally occupied land in connivance with the society’s management.

NAB Lahore was told to submit a report within two months on the complaint.

In another case, the NAB chairman ordered Multan Bureau director general to verify complaints against former Punjab MPA Ahmed Hussain Dahar and others for building a road and a housing colony on private land while using official funds by misusing his authority.



Moreover, they have been accused of accumulating assets beyond known sources of income. The bureau was directed to submit a report within two months.

Justice Iqbal further NAB Lahore to verify complaints against Pakistan Railways’ former chairman Arif Azeem over alleged corruption while purchasing 58 locomotives worth Rs15.3 million and 40 power vans worth Rs4.6 billion from a Chinese firm in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PEPRA) rules. These bogies and vans have not been used owing to their poor quality.

The report will be submitted within two months.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2018.