NAB files corruption reference against former PM Raja Pervez Ashraf‏

E-Paper | May 14, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday decided to file a corruption reference against former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for the appointment of his son-in-law Azim-ul-Haq to the World Bank in violation of rules and regulations and misusing his authority as PM.

The decision was taken at NAB's executive board meeting which was held in Islamabad.

The board also decided to file a reference against ex-chairman Employees Old Age Benefits Institute (EOBI) Zafar Iqbal Gondal and others.

In this case the accused are alleged to have made illegal appointments during their tenure and causing a loss of Rs600 million to the national exchequer.

The board also decided to file a reference against Mola Bux Awan the ex-acting secretary of Ministry of Housing and Works along with Gulab Zameer, Director General Pak PWD.

In the said case the accused are alleged to have illegally appointed 746 people in violation of rules and regulations, which caused a loss of Rs6.32 million to the national exchequer.

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Murtaza

Oct 28, 2014 06:27pm

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Junaid

Oct 28, 2014 06:37pm

please WRITE THIS DOWN. Nothing will come out of this. This is all drama. IK is being proven right yet some of the govt. supporters fail to realize that.

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Ahmed

Oct 28, 2014 06:42pm

Why every time it is "Former"? Why they fear to trial the one in power?

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Gaz

Oct 28, 2014 06:47pm

Just blame it all on the sit ins like PML-N does.

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JackDomm

Oct 28, 2014 07:01pm

Before PPP came into Power in 07, I used to witness this man daily on News shows and since then, have anyone seen him anywhere speaking to general public? He joined the elite club long ago and now, he is unquestionable.

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Rana

Oct 28, 2014 07:10pm

Please don't ; it will derail democracy and its a conspiracy with agencies, America, UK and Iran involved

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Yousuf

Oct 28, 2014 07:26pm

It is a laugh a minute in Pakistan with Nab filing a reference on Raja Parvez Ashraf for a minor offence if any in an appointment causing a small loss to the National Exchequer. The reference on such an unimportant matter is likely to fail before a court of law, perhaps it is for public consumption to show intent by Nawaz Government in prosecuting corrupt practices of the previous Zardari Government. NAB perhaps looked the other way on his misdemeanours in the IPP power scandal.

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Talha

Oct 28, 2014 07:42pm

Was his nickname "Raja Rental" or was it somebody else?

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Z Khan

Oct 28, 2014 07:44pm

Hope he will get punishment for his crimes.

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Farrukh Munir

Oct 28, 2014 07:59pm

Hope something comes out of this reference. The likely event is that it will stay in "reference books" only.

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Farrukh Munir

Oct 28, 2014 08:05pm

Can NAB see anything wrong with the present PM's appointment of his daughter to a senior position by misusing his authority??

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azar

Oct 28, 2014 08:08pm

He is still smiling

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Norozkhan

Oct 28, 2014 08:09pm

NAB files a corruption reference against former P.M Raja Pervez Ashraf for the appointment of his son-in-law Azim-ul-Haq to the World Bank in violation of rules and regulations and misusing his authority as PM. This sounds wonderful but what about Nawaz Sharif appointing 24 of his relatives to very important positions including his daughter Maryam Nawaz who are now accountable for billions of Rupees, is NAB going to charge Nawaz Sharif too.

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Sana Batool

Oct 28, 2014 08:14pm

he will be proved innocent.

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Ray Pakhtun

Oct 28, 2014 09:09pm

In Pakistan, "Rajas" are above law-- and accountability.

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Umar Aftab

Oct 28, 2014 09:16pm

Another drama/ noorakushti!! Who are they fooling.

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Zainullah Khan

Oct 28, 2014 09:17pm

@Z Khan No chance.They are all crooks.

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Asif

Oct 28, 2014 10:01pm

How stupid !!! NAB found just one reference against Raja Rental ??? Things will never change in this country .

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Parvez

Oct 28, 2014 10:14pm

He is being tried for an offence that is laughable.....in comparison to his shenanigans when he was Minister for Power and front man for Mr Zardari.......but Nawaz will never rock that boat.

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Farhana Hussain

Oct 28, 2014 10:57pm

Waste of time and money, nothing will come out of it, it's another drama to distract from real issues

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Laeeq, NY

Oct 28, 2014 11:10pm

These are all delay tactics, these case will not bring any results. At the end they will be acquitted. NAB is just showing some work to show their efficiency but behind the scene there will be compromise. How many corrupt leaders are behind the bars ?

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rashid siddiqui

Oct 28, 2014 11:12pm

These "references" are becoming a joke. Has any of these corrupt politicians and bureaucrats ever been actually imprisoned? These "references" are just to keep the gullible public distracted while the loot and plunder continues unchecked. How can a criminal indict another criminal?

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Tariq,lahore

Oct 29, 2014 12:49am

Why can't we move in 'real time'? Is PM NS government behaving any different to Raja rentals PPP? Why does our legal system almost always has a 'lag period' of one administration?

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Jawad

Oct 29, 2014 01:03am

Cases cases cases ---- keep on building cases to justify your jobs ----- did nab ever ARREST any high profile? Did NAB recently let go NS ??? I say NAB itself is a garh of corruption. ---- corruptiongarh---lol Playing a referee between PPP and PMLN muk mukaa.

Recommend 0

Umi

Oct 29, 2014 01:17am

Playing with people showing that they are following law by enforcing low on small fishes!

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A Ali

Oct 29, 2014 01:51am

and Nawaz is willing to diffuse volatile situation between MQM AND PPP. at the same time PMLN pressing NAB to fix ex PM Ashraf............

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Zulfiqar Ahmed

Oct 29, 2014 02:27am

NAB - a dumb toothless useless accountability bureau...

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Pakhtun

Oct 29, 2014 03:25am

Leave poor Raja alone. Go after MahaRajahs --and you all know who they are.

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Qamar

Oct 29, 2014 03:31am

This is only a cat and mouse game being played by the corrupt politicians to fool the public. Has anyone in mega corruption cases been punished ever??????? It does not matter which 'political' party they belong to, when it comes to protecting the corrupt they all are in it together.

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Zafar

Oct 29, 2014 03:47am

This is hogwash. He did real damage to the country by trying to get the rental power plants at exorbitant rates and made money for himself in the process. A NAB prosecutor investigating the case was murdered. Where is that case?

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Tamza

Oct 29, 2014 05:10am

No wonder these folks, who commit serious crimes [this particular one is rather minor in the overall scheme of things] .. and then get 'maafi', do Haj and Umra so many times .. cleanse their 'crimes' each time.

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khanm

Oct 29, 2014 10:29am

is it some kind of a game NAB is playing Raja Pervaiz... and who is watching them... no one cos we lost our interest..Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

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Danish Haider

Oct 29, 2014 11:44am

Raja's son-in-law must be a Maharaja (of corruption).

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