The Executive Board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), in its meeting held on Wednesday presided over by NAB Chairman Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari, authorised an inquiry into the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) case.
The case, which was previously being investigated by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), was referred to NAB by the Supreme Court (SC) in its judgment dated May 16, 2012, with directives to appoint a special team to probe it and file a reference within three months. NAB was further directed to determine allegations against individuals responsible for PSM’s losses and take immediate steps to recover the looted money.
Loan defaults
The board also authorised inquiries in three willful loan default cases, under section 31-D of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, against the directors and guarantors of Tanveer Spinning and Weaving Mills Pvt Ltd Lahore, High Street Developers Pvt Ltd Lahore and Delta Construction Pvt Ltd Lahore. Tanveer Spinning and Weaving Mills defaulted on a loan amounting to Rs158.465 million while Delta Construction and High Street Developers defaulted on loans worth Rs142.977 million and Rs71.102 million respectively.
The NAB Chairman also directed the filing of references against the former Bannu Communication and Works (C&W) department assistant director Mubarak Hussain Bokhari along with two other department officials and two contractors. Four C&W department officials and five contractors were found to be involved in corrupt practices which caused a Rs104 million loss to the national exchequer, NAB officials told The Express Tribune. Of the nine accused, one department official and three contractors opted for a plea bargain under section 25 of the NAO 1999.
The board also approved a ‘voluntary return’ against Syed Haseeb Azhar, a beneficiary in Qasr-e-Zauq case. In another case, a ‘voluntary return’ in the form of a paper supply to the Sindh Textbook Board instead of cash was approved.
In another case against former Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman Kamran Lashari pertaining to the allotment of a 6,000 square yard plot to Siza Foods Pvt Ltd, the board directed inquiry in consultation with a land expert.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2012.
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