Senior NAB officers warned against influencing enquiries

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau Chairperson Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal has given a warning of strict action against all the officials who have been trying to influence enquires being carried out by the anti-graft body.

According to a notification issued recently, the chairperson has taken serious view of illegal intervention by senior officers of the anti-graft body in NAB headquarters and regions in ongoing cases at different stages.

The notice added that whoever would be found involved in influencing enquiry for any reason would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.

“…all the officers of NAB are required to work within their domain/mandate in order to ensure merit/rule of law for efficient and logical conclusion of the cases without fear and favour,” the letter reads.

Besides issuing warning to NAB officials, the bureau chairperson also launched investigations and enquiries against various government officials and officers for embezzling funds, involvement in illegal appointments and misuse of authority.

The decisions were made during an executive board’s meeting on March 28.

A press statement after the meeting revealed that NAB will begin investigating Azeem Iqbal Siddiqui, former managing director SSGCL, Shahid Aziz Siddiqui, former chairman finance committee, Malik Usman Hassan, general manager finance, and others for misappropriation of funds. The suspects have been alleged to misuse their authority and cause of a loss of Rs1.174 billion to the national treasury.

Moreover, Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi and officers of Board of Revenue Korangi, Karachi, have also come under the radar of NAB for involvement in illegal allotment of government land to private buyers. The illegal allotment has caused a loss of Rs212 million to the national exchequer.

A probe will be launched against former AIG Balochistan Abdul Qadeer Bhatti for possessing more assets than his income.

Other than that a probe has been launched against Sindh government’s Local Government Department and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Communications and Works Department.

Sindh’s local government department has alleged to have illegally transferred 12,810 people from grade 1 to grade 15.

The officers and staff of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan will be investigated over allegations of embezzlement of funds.