KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday arrested Muhammad Javed Hanif, former chairman of the Karachi Port Trust and the candidate of Muttahida Qaumi Movement on a provincial assembly seat in Karachi, for allegedly making illegal appointments in the KPT with the connivance of a former federal minister belonging to the MQM.

Mr Hanif was taken into custody at his residence in Karachi’s South district.

Later in the day, he was produced before a judge of the accountability court who sent him to jail on 14-day judicial remand.

Accountability court Judge Dr Sher Bano Karim turned down the NAB investigation officer’s request to remand Mr Hanif in the bureau’s custody for a week after the counsel for the former KPT chairman argued that the investigation into the matter had already been completed and a summary had been sent to the NAB chairman for approval to file a reference against his client.

According to a NAB spokesperson, Mr Hanif was wanted in an investigation against KPT officers for being involved in corrupt practices and illegally inducting 940 people in the KPT with the connivance of Babar Ghauri, former federal minister for ports and shipping.

He claimed that many of these 940 people were allegedly involved in heinous crimes, including premeditated murder and robbery.

The NAB spokesman claimed that the appointments were made in violation of KPT rules and regulations, adding that the appointments were made without advertisement of vacancies, competitive process and medical examination.

The NAB spokesperson told Dawn that before the appointment of these 940 people the KPT did not get mandatory character certificates from three institutions namely the Intelligence Bureau, Special Branch and the relevant police station.

He identified some of these people who have criminal records as Syed Maroof Shah alias Baba TT against whom eight FIRs of murder are registered, Muhammad Amir against whom two FIRs pertaining to the terror law (7-ATA) are registered, Adeel Ahmed who is named in two cases of terrorism and Umair Shafat against whom one FIR is registered. There were many others who are facing criminal cases, he added.

He said NAB had so far received record of around 30 of these employees and the KPT had been asked to provide record of other people.

The NAB spokesperson told Dawn that the bureau had sent a notice to Mr Ghauri, but he did not respond to it.

He said NAB had decided to approach Interpol for the former minister’s arrest.

Meanwhile, sources in NAB told Dawn that the former KPT chairman was also allegedly involved in the Bahria Town Karachi land scam case in his capacity as former secretary of the land utilisation department and ex-DCO/commissioner Karachi.

Also on Tuesday, NAB in Islamabad arrested an official of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping who is also allegedly involved in the illegal appointments in the KPT.

According to NAB spokesman, Muhammad Saparas was responsible for communicating Mr Ghauri’s directives to subordinate offices and allegedly issued some documents relating to the appointments in the KPT.

He said the accused would be brought to Karachi and produced before the accountability court after completion of legal formalities.

Political motivation

The NAB spokesperson rejected MQM’s allegations of political motivation behind the arrest of Mr Hanif.

In a separate statement, he said that the criminal case against Mr Hanif and others was initiated in November 2015 whereas he joined the MQM in October 2017.

He said the case was initiated on an official complaint lodged with NAB by the Ministry of Ports & Shipping and that NAB did not take any suo motu action in this regard. Several high powered committees had conducted departmental inquiry and declared the KPT appointments illegal.

NAB did not pursue any political agenda and it had nothing do with the election process or political manoeuvring, he added.

In apparent reference to a press conference held by MQM leaders after the arrest of Mr Hanif, the NAB spokesperson said the allegation of political motivation was a bid to damage the image of NAB and falsely associate its transparent investigation process with political considerations.

“The only motivation for NAB is to go against the culprits without any consideration and the proceedings are carried out purely in adherence to the law and constitution,” he added.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2018