Former inspectors general of police (IGPs) Iftikhar Chaudhary and Mian Amin and DIGs Laeeq Ahmed and Abdul Hannan have yet to be arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for their involvement in the National Police Foundation (NPF) land scam, despite being nominated in the FIR by Managing Director (MD) NPF Zafar Ahmed Qureshi, who spearheaded the inquiry, on the Supreme Court’s directive to prosecute the perpetrators.
Iftikhar Chaudhary and Mian Amin, accused of misappropriation of land and illegal allotment of plots in a housing scheme during their terms as MDs NPF, in collusion with three other officials, former director Laeeq Ahmed and additional director Abdul Hannan, collectively deprived the foundation of at least Rs6 billion.
The FIA implicated PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan for not handing over possession of the land he sold to the NPF which amounted to a 6 billion-rupee scam in connivance with former officials, all of who are nominated in the FIR. The officials allotted dozens of plots in violation of rules and misappropriated 26 plots for themselves, sources told The Express Tribune. More than a 100 plots in the NPF, reserved for serving and retired police officers, were allotted to a host of influential persons including officials of WAPDA, Capital Development Authority (CDA), a former CDA chairman’s wife as well as senior officers of the Pakistan Army and journalists. Most illegal allotments of plots were made during Chaudhary’s tenure, sources claimed.
Qureshi, who was recently suspended by the government, had cancelled 11 plots allotted by former MD NPF Khalid Farooq and unearthed another 26 he had offered to close aides at throwaway prices. The plots were sold at hundred times the purchase price, earning a handsome profit for people who had no claim on them and depriving the foundation of billions of rupees. These are in addition to the two Farooq kept for himself. Former deputy director NPF Khuda Bakhsh grabbed 13 plots for which he has been arrested. Former director housing Laeeq Ahmed has five plots in his name and Hannan has six.
Considering the fact that the government has appointed Farooq as the chief of the National Counter Terrorism Authority despite serious allegations against him and in violation of the apex court’s directive barring the reemployment of retired government servants, it is highly improbable that he will be prosecuted. Qureshi had presented the inquiry report incriminating former NPF officials and the PML-N lawmaker before the Supreme Court. He had also sent copies to the Islamabad Police and the FIA and written to IG Islamabad to register a criminal case against the offenders. Anjum Aqeel gave the police a hard time before they snapped handcuffs on him.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 26th, 2011.
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