MULTAN: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has asked the district government to provide a record of ownership documents of properties of Bahauddin Zakariya University’s Distance Education director Dr Ishaque Fani.

Reports said that NAB Additional Director Staff Ahmed Mumtaz Bajwa dispatched a letter No (M-600110/2015/IW-1/Inq/311215/59/2) to Additional District Collector (ADC) Manzar Ali Imam on Feb 12 stating that the bureau was conducting an inquiry against Dr Fani and others under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

The ADC was asked to provide information through an officer concerned to investigation officer and deputy director Saeed Ahmed Shaikh along with complete documents of properties in the name of Dr Fani and his wife Surayya Shahab.

The NAB sought the record of the properties, including three plots of 18, 4 and 9 marla in Mauza Neel Kot and an 8 marla plot in Mauza Dorana Langana, besides details of any other properties in the name of Mr Fani and his wife in both mauzas.

The information was sought under section 19 and read with 27 of National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

Earlier on Jan 19, the DCO was issued a letter to provide not only details of the properties of Dr and his wife in the Multan district but also of their children, Ali Ishaque, Aimal Ishaque, Aima Ishaque and Hamza Ishaque.

An executive board meeting of the NAB presided over by its chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry on Dec 16, 2015, had authorized an inquiry against Dr Fani and others for making illegal appointments, embezzlement of funds in purchase of books and accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income.

The NAB authorities also asked the revenue ADC to provide the original record as well as certified copies of plots/shops/land and properties of a former secretary of Wapda Employees Cooperative Housing Society (WECHS) Saeed Ahmed Khan, his wife Tahira Saeed, two land providers Shahid Mehmood and Wajid Rasool and their dependents in Mauza Mumtazabad and Multan city.

The bureau had also sent two letters to the ADC on Jan 13 and 19 for the provision of record but it was not provided to the NAB by the authorities concerned.

“It is regretted to state that the record/information requisitioned vide above referred letters have not been received by due date which is causing delay in the completion of case,” the letter No (M-600168/2015/CV/311215/106) issued on Feb 6 by Mr Bajwa stated.

A ban has been imposed on the sale and purchase of plots/files of all three phases of the WECHS by the district officer (cooperative) after complaints of massive irregularities and fraud were reported to the department.

While on Feb 17, cooperative registrar Syed Javed Iqbal Bokhari had canceled the elections of the WECHS that were scheduled on Feb 21.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2016