NAB approves graft probe against Pervez Musharraf

Initiates inquiry in view of the IHC’s April 4 order; also authorises probe against Monis Elahi, Aleem Khan

ISLAMABAD: In line with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has authorised an inquiry against former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf for his alleged ‘misuse of power and having assets beyond known means of income’.

The accountability watchdog gave the nod to the inquiry during its executive board meeting, chaired by NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Friday at the bureau headquarters.

On April 4, the graft buster recorded statement of an applicant Lt Col (retd) Inam-ur-Rahim in a pending corruption inquiry against Gen Musharraf. Rahim had filed a complaint against Musharraf some five years ago. However, NAB, citing its ordinance, had refused to proceed against the former military man.



NAB had then stated that it lacks jurisdiction in the matter because as a member of the armed forces the general was immune from being proceeded against under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

Later, Rahim filed a petition before the IHC, challenging NAB’s reply.

In February 2018, a division bench of the IHC in its landmark judgment ruled that ‘the former military dictator is amenable to be proceeded, investigated, tried and convicted under the NAB Ordinance of 1999 if there is evidence that he committed an offence’.

The bench said as Musharraf had resigned and stands retired from the armed forces of Pakistan, the NAB is vested with the power and jurisdiction to consider the complaint of the petitioner.

Rahim’s application states that Musharraf owns eight immovable assets in the form of property in Pakistan and two abroad. He has under his name three properties in Karachi, two in Islamabad and one in Lahore and Gwadar each.

It claimed that Musharraf owns another property in Karachi under his wife’s name and two properties in Dubai, UAE and the United Kingdom respectively. Apart from them, he owns three vehicles, two Land Cruisers and one Corolla under his name and four vehicles under his wife’s name.

NAB’s executive board also approved 19 other graft inquiries against various individuals including Pakistani ambassador to Cuba Kamran Shafi, Federal Housing Minister Akram Khan Durrani, Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader Moonis Elahi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Aleem Khan.

Kamran Shafi is accused of misusing the entertainment allowance during his posting at Pakistani High Commission in London. The bureau also authorised further action against Shafi under section 31-A of NAB Ordinance for not cooperating with bureau in pending inquiry against him.

The board approved inquiry against Akram Khan Durrani and others for allotting plots earmarked for construction of mosques in different areas of Islamabad to near and dear ones.

The PTI’s Aleem Khan, PML-Q’s Moonis Elahi and Yousuf Abdullah are accused of involvement in corruption and corrupt practices and owning offshore firms as revealed in Panama Papers leaks.

Another inquiry was ordered against Jehangir Siddiqui and officials of Sindh Social Relief Fund for misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs3 billion under the garb of public investment.

Inquiries were also ordered against officials of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the Federal Tax Ombudsman, Bank of Punjab President Naeemud Din Khan, Pakistan Railways, Land Utilisation Department Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Provincial Housing Authority, etc.



Naeemuddin Khan and others are accused of manoeuvering prices of shares and inside-trading in Bank of Punjab. NAB authorised conducting inquiry against Pakistan Railways Chief Mechanical Engineer (C&W) Adnan Shafi and others for allegedly buying 1405 Hooper Wagons for replacing coal, inflicting Rs168 million losses to the national kitty.

It authorised filing a corruption reference against former National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) Chairman Abid Javed Akbar, management of FDBIL and others for making investments of over Rs100 million in FDBIL by misusing authority, causing Rs67.056 million losses to the national exchequer.

The meeting authorised closing inquiry against the officers and officials of the National Bank of Pakistan Bahrain branch due to lack of evidence. It authorised conducting inquiry against the officials and officers and others of Muhammad Bin Qasim Land Utilisation Department, Sindh for their alleged involvement in illegally allotting government plots to private individuals by misusing their authority.

It authorised conducting inquiry against Pakistan Railways former DG Ghulam Muhammad Qureshi for having assets beyond means. It also authorised investigations against Abbottabad International Hospital and others for their alleged involvement in cheating people and misusing authority.

The EBM approved another inquiry against the officers and officials of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Provincial Housing Authority (PHA), and others for their alleged involvement in illegal recruitment and misuse of authority.

Another inquiry would also be conducted against the Larkana Development Authority Chairman Aamir Zaib Jatoi and others for allegedly making assets beyond means, misuse of authority and their involvement in corruption which inflicted Rs333.648 million losses to national kitty.

The meeting authorised inquiry against Sindh Irrigation Department Exen Muhammad Sharif Mughairi and others for their involvement in inflicting Rs 501.755 million losses to national exchequer by misappropriation of government funds and corrupt practices.