NICL scam: ‘FIA was stopped from filing appeal against Elahi’s acquittal’

Main accused still using official vehicle, parliamentary committee told.


Shahbaz Rana November 01, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


The Ministry of Law has barred the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from filing an appeal against the acquittal of Moonis Elahi in the multi-billion rupees National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) corruption case, according to a senior official of the agency.


In a testimony to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce, FIA Additional Director General (DG) Mohammad Afzal Malik said: “The Law and Justice Department did not allow filing [of the] appeal while arguing that grounds for the appeal were weak”.

Moonis, Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi’s son, is the main accused in two separate cases, filed against him and two other accused for receiving Rs320 million in kickbacks through the purchase of properties worth billions of rupees at exorbitant rates.

In the past, political pundits have argued that one of the reasons why the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) joined the government was to save Moonis.

FIA Additional DG Malik said that during FIA’s investigations it had been established that Habib Wariach, the seller in the Lahore property case, had transferred Rs320 million to Moonis by opening two bank accounts on the names of the employees of Moonis. He said that the deputy premier’s son was acquitted after witnesses turned hostile and changed their statements in court.

The Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of reports of the embezzlement scam in the NICL in various land purchase deals, struck in Lahore, Karachi and Dubai. However, many influential people including the main accused (then chairman of NICL) secured bails.

The members of the standing committee observed that the FIA was under pressure by “higher authorities” in their desperate attempts to save the scion of a political family while Moonis’ “poor employees” were still under custody and were not even the main accused in the scam.

“I personally know a person who is in jail for last two years on charges of stealing a bicycle but in the multi-billion rupee corruption cases the main accused either have been acquitted or are on bail due to weak prosecution by the FIA,” said Khawaja Sohail Mansoor of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

FIA’s additional DG responded that in the 10-acre Korangi Land deal struck by the NICL, the FIA had recommended formally charge sheeting Commerce Minister Makhdoom Ameen Fahim after recovering money from his accounts. However, the Sindh High Court had barred the FIA from framing the charges until strong evidences were produced.

The commerce minister’s involvement surfaced last year when FIA Deputy Director Karachi Altaf Hussain told the Standing Committee on Commerce that in the 10-acre Korangi Land deal struck at Rs900 million, the proceeds were traced to 19 accounts, one of them jointly owned by Fahim and his son Jaliluzaman. He had disclosed that an amount of Rs24.44 million was transferred to the joint account for settling an outstanding loan.

Since these disclosures were not enough to surprise the participants, the NICL officials admitted that Ayaz Niazi – the principal accused and former chairman of the NICL – was still using the official car being run on taxpayers’ money. It was further revealed that the NICL is ready to offer the car to Niazi on book value and all other privileges that a chairman earns.

“A chairman who has paralysed the institution, himself fell from grace, brought so much infamy to the government, how can he avail these privileges,” asked Chairman of the Standing Committee on Commerce Khurram Dastgir.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2012.

COMMENTS (5)

Salman Zafar | 11 years ago | Reply

No one with power gets punished in this country...

KHAN | 11 years ago | Reply

WE NEED THIS ISLAMIC JUSTICE IN PAKISTAN.

Umar Flogs His Son To Death Abu Shahma was a son of Umar. He fought in the battles in Egypt. After the conquest of Egypt he built a house for himself in Fustat. One day in the company of a friend he inadvertently drank wine and became unconscious. The following day he went with his friend to Amr bin Al Aas, confessed their guilt, and wanted to be punished. Amr bin Al Aas said that as they had drunk the wine inadvertently, and were feeling repentant, that was enough and no further punishment was called for. Abu Shahma did not wish to avail of the benefit of inadvertence. He insisted that he should be punished according to law, failing which he would bring the matter to the notice of the Caliph. Thereupon Arm bin Al Aas inflicted the usual punishment of lashes in the compound of his house. Abu Shahma's head was also shaved off in the house of the Governor. The Reporter reported the matter to Umar, and Umar addressed a letter to Amr b. Al Aas in strong terms as follows: "O Amr bin Al Aas it has come to my notice that you have been derelict in the performance of your duty. You have shown undue favor to Abu Shahma by awarding him punishment in your house rather than at a public place. You were apparently moved by the consideration that he is my son. You should know that in such matters I cannot tolerate any concession to a person on the ground that he is related to me. As soon as you get this letter send Abu Shahma to Medina on a naked camel." Amr bin Al Aas complied with the instructions and dispatched Abu Shahma to Madina. In the way Abu Shahma fell sick and when he reached Madina he could hardly walk. Umar was furious, and he ordered that Abu Shahma should be lashed in the public. Abdul Rahman b. Auf pleaded that the boy had already been lashed in Egypt and no further punishment was called for Abu Shahma said that he was suffering, and the punishment should be deferred till he was recovered. Umar brushed aside these pleadings Abu Shahma was flogged publicly. Abu Shahma could not withstand the ordeal He fell senseless after a few stripes had been inflicted. He remained in a state of agony for a few days and then died a martyr to the highly developed sense of justice of his father.

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