NAB files corruption reference against former PM Yousuf Raza Gilani, others

Gillani, others being investigated for running an illegal public campaign

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday filed another reference in which political bigwigs including deposed premier Yousuf Raza Gillani, were booked for financial and administrative irregularities.

NAB Rawalpindi filed the reference against Gillani, the former secretary of ministry of information technology Farooq Awan, former chief executive of Universal Services Fund Riaz Asher Siddique,chief of Midas Inam Akbar, former company secretary USF Syed Hasan Shikoh0, and former personal assistant to PRO IT regarding misuse of authority in illegal publicity campaign through Midas Private Limited and attempt to cause loss to national exchequer.



The reference was filed by Investigation Officer Adil Shehzad before an accountability court in Islamabad.

As per details shared by NAB in 26th USF board meeting on December 28 2011, then-PM and chairman of USF board Gillani directed to run a media campaign highlighting the achievements of the USF. Awan misused his authority in the illegal campaign against the rules and attempted to cause national loss.

Akbar violated the Press Information Department's (PID)  instructions and prescribed procedures regarding media campaigns and undertook the entire electronic media campaign without getting any written order (release order) from either the Ministry of Information Technology (MOIT) nor from USF and served bill for payment.

However, it was manipulated by accused Siddique, CEO USF to place it on the panel in connivance with government officials to legitimise the media campaign and to facilitate payment of Rs128 million. There was no bidding held for formally awarding the media campaign, which is totally against the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules and policy guidelines by Ministry of Information Broadcasting and PID.

The accused, in connivance with each other, processed for an ex-post facto approval by the board to legitimise the payment to Midas Pvt Limited and to cause loss to the national kitty to the tune of approximately Rs128 million. However, due to timely cognizance by NAB, the illegal payment was halted.



Recently, NAB Rawalpindi also filed a reference against seven key politicians and key officials regarding the delay in Nandipur power project. Former law minister Babar Awan and former minister for water and power Raja Pervez Ashraf are named in the reference.