Court tells NAB to act on plea against NLC corruption

Accused in the case include former military officials

RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench on Wednesday ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman to take action on a writ petition filed against the alleged misappropriation of funds of the National Logistics Cell (NLC).

The bench comprising Justice Tariq Abbasi and Justice Raja Shahid Mehmood sent the writ petition to the NAB chairman, directing him take action against the accused in accordance with the law.

The accused in the case are former military officials including an ex-vice chief of army staff, four former major generals, an ex-brigadier, a former colonel, an ex-lieutenant colonel, two former majors and an ex-captain.

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Major (retd) Akram Raza, through Colonel (retd) Inamur Rahim Advocate and others, had filed the writ petition in 2015 requesting the NAB chairman to take action against the crude oil mafia and the alleged misappropriation of funds in the purchase of 100 tankers. However, they approached the high court when NAB failed to proceed on the matter.

The airport police station was also approached for filing an FIR against the accused but the application was turned down.

The NLC allegedly bought the tankers, which actually cost Rs2.85 million each, at a rate of Rs3.45 million each.

Crude oil, instead of being transported to the refinery, was allegedly stolen on the route causing a daily loss of Rs20 million.

A complaint about these activities was also lodged with the then NLC director general. However, the complainant was illegally arrested and kept in custody before being dismissed from service.

The petitioner has sought an investigation into the case by NAB and also the freezing of the assets of the accused. He has pleaded that his dismissal be declared illegal and his services be restored.