NAB says Reko Diq reference filed after thorough investigation

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said on Thursday the reference filed against 26 people over abuse of authority in the Reko Diq project was the result of a thorough investigation into the 30-year record by the director general of NAB Operations and director general of NAB Balochistan.

NAB issued the names of 26 accused, nominated in the reference filed in accountability court, Quetta, including a former caretaker governor, former chief secretary, former senior officials of mines and minerals department, Balochistan Development Authority and Revenue Department and representatives of Australian mining companies.

“The reference has been filed after scrutiny of 30 years and on the basis of concrete evidence,” it said, adding that the accused had been involved in abuse of authority and violation of rules and inflicting billion of rupee losses to national exchequer for personal interests. “The accountability court has issued notices to the accused persons as per law.”

Those nominated in the reference included Amirul Mulk Mengal, a former Balochistan governor, Muhammad Farooq, Ataa Muhamad, Captain (retd) Fariduddin, Ataa Jaffar, Amir Ali Barq, Muhammad Tahir, Habibullah Baloch, Engineer Maqbool Ahmed, Shaykh Ismatullah, Shahbaz Khan Mandokhel, KB Rind, Masood Ahmad Malik, Col (retd) Sher Khan and Muslim Lakhani.

Masood Ahmad Malik, Col (retd) Sher Khan and Muslim Lakhani are among top 15 officials nominated in the case, while 10 people are from Australian companies and others. The accused had been summoned by the court to appear before it on November 18.

Facts of the reference

The NAB statement said that the Chagai Hills Exploration Joint Venture agreement was signed in 1993 between the Balochistan Development Authority (BDA) and an Australian company, Broken Hill Proprietary.

“The BDA caused illegal benefits to the Australian Company. Balochistan Mining Concession Rules were illegally amended to strengthen the terms of this agreement, which was against national interest, by repeatedly entering into illegal sub-agreements and introducing a new company called Tethyan Copper Company (TCC),” it said.

“Serious irregularities were committed by officials of the revenue department in the allotment of land and other matters. The records and statements of witnesses had revealed that the TCC operatives were found to be involved in bribing government employees and illegally gaining benefits,” it added.

“Due to these corrupt elements, the Reko Diq project, which was supposed to earn billions of rupees for the province, could not yield desired financial results.”

NAB said that during the investigation spanning over years, various government departments were scrutinised, while the accused sitting abroad were summoned several times to record their statement. It added that the accused in the case had confessed taking financial benefits.

“The NAB team led by DG NAB Operation, DG NAB Balochistan has resolved the most ticklish and huge corruption white-collar crimes and filed reference against 26 persons of government Balochistan after approval of Chairman Justice Javed Iqbal and law will take its course,” NAB said.

Some top Balochistan government officials have expressed concern over the filing of the reference. Sources said that some senior officers had taken the matter seriously and stressed the need to come up with a mechanism for a government decision or taking responsibility for it in the future.

Officials said that the NAB should take action but law should be equal for all. The question arises as to whether it was the responsibility of the officers only. The political figures of the then government made decisions. Are they not responsible for it?,” said in official on condition of anonymity.

“The decision was taken by the cabinet and later when the agreement was terminated in the government from 2008 to 2013, it was also a decision of the provincial cabinet. The nomination is shocking,” the officer said.