NAB approves filing three more references

Initiates as many inquiries against various accused

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) on Wednesday gave approval to filing of a reference against Khawaja Anwar Majeed – one of the accused in the multi-billion dollar money laundering case that also involves Pakistan Peoples Party top leaders.

The decision was taken in NAB Executive Board Meeting (EBM), chaired by Justice Javed Iqbal. The board approved initiating a total of three references and three inquiries as it referred some inquiries to relevant forum for further proceedings and action.

Khawaja Anwar Majeed and others will face the reference for allegedly inflicting a loss of Rs340 million to the national exchequer through money laundering and corrupt practices.

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Another reference will be filed against Syed Arif Khan, director and partner of Messers Kanal View and others for looting the people causing Rs266 million losses to national exchequer. They have been accused of having assets beyond known sources of income.

The EBM approved three investigations against several persons including Nasar Ahmed Afzal, Sagheer Ahmed Afzal and others, officers and officials of  Excise and Taxation department, owners, management and others of  Unicorn Prestige Hotel, Lahore, officers and officials of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA)/ Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), and management, officers and others of Balochistan Development Authority Quetta.

The EBM approved to club inquiries against the officers, officials and management of Punjab Energy Holding Company with the ongoing inquiry against appointment of officers in 56 companies.

It approved referring an inquiry against Fazal Amin, Siraj Din and others to Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).

It also approved sending an inquiry against Saeed Ahmed Khan, chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority and others, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan to the ANF in light of the Islamabad High Court’s order.

The EBM authorised closing inquiries against officers/officials and others of Abdul Wali Khan University, international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen), FAO Rural Programme and others owing to absence of evidence.

NAB chairman said the bureau has filed 600 corruption references in different accountability courts in the last 23 months. The conviction ratio in NAB cases is 70 per cent.

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The bureau has recovered Rs71 billion directly or indirectly from the corrupt elements and deposited to the national exchequer.

“NAB has concluded 41 mega corruption cases, while inquiries were continuing in 15 mega corruption cases and investigations were under way in18 mega corruption cases,” he added.

He urged regulators of housing societies including Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Balochistan Development Authority (BDA), Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), Multan Development Authority (MDA), Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) and others to enlist approved  housing societies at their websites and inform the people about illegal housing societies.

With additional input from APP