NAB officials told to expedite anti-graft investigations

Chairperson asked to authorise inquiry against local government secretary

KARACHI: A regional board meeting of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi was held on Thursday with NAB Karachi Director-General (DG) Mohammad Altaf Bawany in chair.

Directors of the bureau's investigation wings and investigation teams of various cases attended the board meeting.

The board decided to send a recommendation to NAB Chairperson Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal to authorise an inquiry against Sindh Local Government Secretary Muhammad Ramzan Awan and others. The participants agreed that there was prima facie sufficient evidence that established various charges of corruption and misuse of authority against the secretary.

West District Municipal Corporation Establishment Director Javed Qamar and Personal Secretary to the Local Government Secretary Ramzan Solangi have recently been arrested along with recoveries of millions of rupees, cash, bonds, gold bars and other valuables from their possession.



The meeting decided that the scope of the inquiry would be spread to all corrupt elements on the basis of evidence and as per the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

An investigation was also authorised against Muneer Sultan, owner and developer of Kay Kay Builders, for the alleged illegal construction of a building on government land in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and minting millions of rupees from the general public in 1998. He has also been accused of not transferring flats and shops to those who booked the properties.

A reference on the matter of illegal construction is being heard at an accountability court since 2016. During the board meeting, NAB Karachi authorised fresh investigations against him over charges of cheating public at large.

Upon the conclusion of an inquiry, two investigations were authorised against officials of the accounts offices of Dadu and Jamshoro districts, and officials of the education department for making illegal and excessive payments to education department employees in 2015-16.

The NAB Karachi DG instructed the investigation teams to expedite inquiries on the similar charges in Tharparkar, Tando Allahyar and Thatta districts.



On the completion of a preliminary probe, an investigation was authorised against two doctors of the Sindh Employees Social Security Institute and others on charges of illegally holding two government jobs in different departments simultaneously. The doctors had deprived other citizens of their right to equal employment opportunities, causing a loss to the national exchequer.

The board was apprised that Muhammad Zafar Maniar of Humair Associates was violating the terms of a plea bargain by handing plots over to allotees, denying the owners of their rightful possession of the plots. NAB Karachi decided to proceed against Humair Associates according to the law.

At the end of the meeting, Bawany appreciated the investigation teams for their progress in various inquiries, particularly those related to the local government affairs. The DG issued instructions to the investigation wings to expedite anti-graft investigations without any discrimination as per the guidelines  issued by Justice (retd) Iqbal.