NAB chairman briefed on key inquiries
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal discussed the status of important ongoing investigations during his visit to Lahore on Wednesday, including an inquiry against Excise and Taxation Department officials over issuance of a liquor licence to a hotel in which Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has also faced questions.
He was briefed by the director general (DG) of NAB Lahore and combined investigation teams (CITs) about the performance of the bureau, particularly regarding major corruption scandals.
The cases include a money laundering reference against former chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and his family, inquiry against former LDA officials for allegedly changing Lahore’s master plan, a case against former provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah for allegedly acquiring assets disproportionate to his known sources of income and an investigation against Provincial Minister Abdul Aleem Khan.
During the briefing, the chairman advised the NAB Lahore team to pursue all cases on merit and take the proceedings to the logical conclusion, said a spokesperson. He maintained that NAB had been struggling hard to root out corruption from the country. He said NAB believed in impartial action against corrupt elements. The chairman said NAB officers don’t have any affiliation with any party or group except the country.
He advised all officers to complete complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations according to the law so that corrupt elements might be brought to justice.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2020.