Balochistan, KP, Sindh politicians, bureaucrats to be probed

By
AFP
Balochistan, KP, Sindh politicians, bureaucrats to be probed
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday decided to start investigation against many politicians and bureaucrats of the Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces for misuse of authority, receiving kickbacks, benami assets, illegal allotments, misappropriation of government funds, etc.

The NAB Executive Board meeting, presided over by Bureau’s Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, decided to file a reference against former Sindh secretary minorities affairs Badar Jamil Mandhro and others for illegal appointments. The accused persons allegedly misused their authority in illegal appointments in Grade 17-18 in the Minorities Affairs Department, thus causing a loss to the national exchequer.

The meeting also authorized a complaint verification (CV) against Haji Muhammad Nawaz Kakar, ex-minister, Balochistan Development Authority (BDA), Sadat Anwar Qambarani, ex-chairman BDA, Bismillah Kakar, GM Tendering, BDA, Quetta, and others.

In this case, the persons were accused of receiving kickbacks from contractors of BDA, illegal bank transactions and benami (untraceable) assets.

The EBM decided to re-authorize two inquiries — the first against officials of the Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) namely Sardar Muhammad Idrees, ex-minister, and other beneficiaries. In this case, the accused persons were accused of corrupt practices in allotment of plots, thus causing a loss of Rs51.7 million to the national exchequer.

The second inquiry was authorized against officers/ officials of Pepco, Pesco. Owners of Al-Moiz Sugar Mill, Dera Ismail Khan and others namely Munawar Baseer Ahmad, ex-MD, Pepco, Brig (retd) Sakhi Marjan, ex-CEO, Pesco, and Nouman Ahmad Khan, MD, Al-Moiz Industry.

In this case, the accused persons were accused of misuse of authority, corruption in illegal sale and purchase of electricity.

The NAB meeting also decided to approve voluntarily return (VR) request of Arbab Saadullah Khan, PMC ex-MNA/ ex-chairman, of Rs8,471,780 regarding misappropriation/ embezzlement of government funds in plots scam of fruit and vegetable market, Peshawar. Out of the total loss of Rs130 million to the state, Rs120.5 million stands recovered.

NAB also decided to close a CV against Ali Madad Jattak, ex-minister, Food Department, Balochistan, and an inquiry against Khurshid Alam, ex-IG Northern Areas. It also decided to take no further action in a complaint verification against authorities of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta, and others due to lack of incriminating evidence.

In a complaint against the unlawful amalgamation of the KASB Bank Limited into Bank Islami Pakistan Limited, the EBM decided to link it with an instant case with the ongoing inquiry at the NAB, Karachi.

The meeting also decided to authorize an inquiry against M/s Zahid Traders for willful default of Rs281.574 million referred by the State Bank of Pakistan under Section 31-D of NAO 1999.

This story was originally published in The News and may be accessed here