NAB rejects Sheikh Afzal's Rs3b plea-bargain deal in Bank of Punjab scam

Says it will determine the amount again in proportion to the actual amount borrowed.

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday rejected a plea-bargain deal of around Rs3 billion proposed by Sheikh Muhammad Afzal in a case related to the Bank of Punjab (BoP) scam, according to an official statement.

“NAB has decided to determine the bargain amount again because the principal amount borrowed by them [Afzal and his family] from the bank was around Rs8 billion,” the statement said, adding that the decision was taken by NAB Chairman Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari.

Afzal, owner of Haris Steel Mills is being prosecuted for the BoP multi-billion scam case. The Supreme Court (SC) had also taken suo moto notice of the case.

Aggrieved parties in Qasre Zauq case to be returned their money

Meanwhile, NAB officials told The Express Tribune that Justice (retd) Malik Qayyum voluntarily agreed to return Rs98 million to the aggrieved parties in the Qasre Zauq property grab case.

Qayyum was an illegal beneficiary in this case, who obtained money in shape of 63 plots depriving other claimants of their shares, NAB officials added. The case was expedited on the directions of the SC.

According to the official statement, NAB board also approved voluntary returns of Rs70 million submitted by World Automobiles as per the rules for misappropriation of public funds in supplying automobiles.