NAB to begin inquiries into money-laundering

Deedar Hussain orders filing of three important references against big guns in embezzlement of billions of rupees.

ISLAMABAD: An executive board meeting on Wednesday of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has given the green signal to a number of inquiries, including various high-profile money-laundering cases.

NAB chairperson Justice (retd) Deedar Hussain Shah, who made the decision to this effect, also ordered the filing of three important references against big guns involved in embezzlement of billions of rupees.

Furthermore, it was confirmed that the bureau will conduct inquiries against five key officers involved in mismanagement in different cases. NAB has also authorised its regional offices to conduct an inquiry in the special case of the Innovative Investment Bank.

According to an official statement, a crucial reference will be filed against the management of Gulshan-e-Latif Housing Scheme in Karachi for its alleged involvement in corrupt practices and irregularities worth millions of rupees in different cases.

The statement said that a reference will also be filed against former Medical Superintendent Dr Mirza Raza Ali and his associates for providing costly medicines to Civil Hospital Karachi.

An inquiry against Maudood Ahmad Lodhi, former chairperson of the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL), was also authorised on account of gross misuse of authority and causing huge financial losses to the national exchequer.

A special NAB team will also file a charge sheet for a reference against Hassan Baloch, who was the labour welfare commissioner in the department of mines and minerals in Quetta and is allegedly involved in financial irregularities as well as misuse of authority.

NAB’s Punjab office was also authorised to conduct an inquiry against Dr Abdul Basit Advocate who is holding public money in the Double Shah scam on the pretext that he would himself refund the money to those affected in the scam.

NAB’s Sindh office was also directed to conduct an inquiry against Ghulam Nabi Sheikh for fake allotments in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2010.