Ex-NAB chief summoned for Broadsheet probe

Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed-led commission had recommended transferring the case to FIA

ISLAMABAD:

 

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad has summoned former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Naveed Ahsan and the anti-graft body’s legal consultant Ahmer Bilal Soofi again next week in connection with the Broadsheet inquiry.

In January last year, a commission headed by Justice (retd) Sheikh Azmat Saeed was formed by the previous PTI regime to investigate corruption and examine contracts signed by NAB with the UK-based firm Broadsheet and other international asset recovery firms to unearth foreign assets made by Pakistani politicians through ill-gotten money.

The commission completed the probe on March 23 and submitted its report to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The report consisted of 61 pages and about 500 more pages were annexed to the report as documents and statements of witnesses.

Justice (retd) Sheikh said the record related to Broadsheet LLC was "missing almost everywhere including the Pakistan High Commission in London".

He added that the head of the mission did not consider it necessary to record the statements of Broadsheet owner Kaveh Moussavi and Tariq Fawad Malik who was part of the firm's team in Pakistan.

According to the report, “Even before the commission could become functional upon provision of office space and staff, the bureaucracy went into a self-preservation mode and withdrew into its shell like a threatened snail,” the report read.

“The level of non-cooperation from the various ministries/divisions/departments would have made Gandhi proud. Every effort was made to conceal, hide and ‘misplace’ the relevant record in a rather obvious effort to cover up the incompetence and corruption of the present incumbents, their predecessors and political benefactors,” it added.

On the recommendations of that one-man commission, the case was later handed over to the FIA.

The FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad had formed a team and opened its investigation.

Subsequently, the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad deputy director had summoned Naveed and Soofi under Section 160 of the CrPC on October 11 and October 12, respectively.

It was clarified in the summon notices that failure to show up would be assumed that the two men had nothing to say in their defence and they would have to face the law.

FIA sources said only Soofi had showed up before its interrogators and he has been summoned again next week.

As for the ex-NAB chief, his remand has been issued and told to appear before the FIA next week as well.