Alleged embezzlement: K-P NAB initiates probe against Safdar

Investigation started on complaint of a person hailing from constituency of Sharif’s son-in-law

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-) chapter of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has formally initiated a probe against Captain (retd) Safdar, a National Assembly member and son-in-law of deposed premier Nawaz Sharif in a case of multibillion rupees corruption.

According to a NAB press release issued on Tuesday, the inquiry is initiated on the directives of the bureau’s chairman, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal. A resident of District Mansehra, hailing from NA-21 which is Safdar’s constituency, had approached the NAB with a complaint against him.

The complainant alleged that Safdar embezzled funds worth Rs3 billion allocated by the federal government for development schemes in NA-21 Hazara division.

“Being the son-in law of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, he has influence on all federal government departments. It is further alleged that Captain [retd] Safdar MNA virtually runs the affairs of departments such as Pak PDW in his constituency,” the press release said.

It stated that Safdar “using his influence and in connivance with several officials of Pak PWD, not only launched many ghost schemes but also awarded contract to his handpicked cronies and embezzled around Rs2 billion through these hoax and ghost.”

The press release claimed that more alarming facts were surfacing as “NAB K-P is actively pursuing the preliminary inquiry”.