QUETTA: Through a plea bargain, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has recovered Rs59 million from a former chairman of the Balochistan Development Authority (BDA) and his front man, who are facing a corruption case.

According to a NAB spokesman, Saadat Anwar, former chairman of the BDA, is accused of causing heavy loss to the national kitty by misusing his authority and extending “undue favours” to a contractor working on Doobandi-Tuba Achakzai road in Killa Abdullah district in lieu of bribe.

Giving details, he said that after receiving information about the issue, the bureau conducted an investigation and found that BDA officials and contractors had caused a loss of Rs196m to the national exchequer.

The bureau filed a reference against eight accused in an accountability court.

During the course of investigation, it was established that Anwar had misused his authority and extended undue favours to contractor Nehal Khan working on 3km road project initiated in 2011, after receiving bribe through his front men.

The spokesman said that Abdul Hakeem — one of the front men of Anwar, who also happens to be his brother-in-law — was arrested and admitted his guilt during interrogation.

However, the former BDA chief was not arrested because, according to the spokesman, “he (and Hakeem) filed a request for returning their share of booty through plea bargain”.

The trial court was informed about the request and it approved the offer.

In the wake of the plea bargain, the spokesman said, it was certain that the accused would be convicted and disqualified from holding a public office, participating in elections and obtaining bank loan, for 10 years.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2016