PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI: A meeting of the regional board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi on Tuesday recommended for approval by its chairperson a reference against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani after completion of investigation.
The meeting also took decisions on various other cases and recommended to send them to the NAB headquarters in Islamabad for the chairman's approval, said a statement issued by the NAB Karachi.
The cases against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) officials and former federal minister Kamran Michael have also been recommended for approval of NAB chairman.
The case against PIA pertains to the grounding of an ATR 42-500 illegally by senior management in April 2014 which accrued millions of rupees in loss to the PIA. The plane would have otherwise been functional and airworthy with routine maintenance. However, it was grounded in violation of aviation regulations, with the intention of stealing its parts and rendering its status as scrap.
SHC orders NAB to wrap up investigation against Agha Siraj Durrani
In another corruption case of PIA, a complaint was recommended for approval of formal inquiry in which PIA illegally awarded a private logistics company, M/s Leisure Cargo, rights to utilise its cargo space for three years from 2016 to 2019 at low and uncompetitive rates. The agreement was in violation of the approval of the board and had been tampered which led to a loss of millions of dollars.
After completion of inquiry against M/s Humair Associates, NAB Karachi also authorised an investigation regarding Gulshan-e-Roomi Housing Project over allegations of cheating the public at large.
It was established that the builder, after receiving millions of rupees from 104 allottees, failed to hand over possession of the plots to them since 1979. The value of these plots is estimated at Rs600 million.
The board also recommended a reference against Durrani, after completion of investigation. The board was informed that the accused had accumulated assets worth Rs1.6 billion beyond known sources of income. The assets were held by the accused, his family and various benamidars who have been recommended for trial. There are certain benamidars who are the personal servants of the accused and his family.
NAB forwards cases of Durrani, PIA for approval
The meeting decided to forward the recommendation for approval of supplementary reference against Michael. Evidence established his role in receiving bribe of Rs110 million through bank accounts of his friends and benamidars, for illegal sale of plots of KPT Officers Cooperative Housing Society. He purchased various properties in his brother's name. The supplementary reference will be filed against him and other accused persons after approval of the competent authority.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2019.
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