LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday arrested Lahore Parking Company (LPC) former chairman [ex-PML-N MPA] Hafiz Mian Nauman on charges of corruption.

NAB took Mr Nauman into custody after the Lahore High Court dismissed his pre-arrest bail petition.

Nauman said he just attended its board’s meetings on different occasions. He pointed out that he left the office of the company on Dec 30, 2016.

Mr Nauman said the NAB authorities had initiated an unlawful inquiry into the parking contracts given by the company. He said the contracts given by the company were transparent and lawful.

Nauman was taken into custody after LHC dismissed his bail plea

Nauman’s counsel said his client was ready to face the lawful proceedings but pleaded the court to allow him pre-arrest bail as the NAB wanted to arrest him on false allegations.

The NAB prosecutor told the court that the national exchequer had to face loss of millions of rupees due to financial irregularities in the company. He pointed out that final challan against the suspects had been submitted to the court which had commenced the trail.

According to NAB, Mr Nauman actively participated in the operations of the LPC and visited the parking sites of M/s Green Parking Dubai (the only Parking Company in the Joint Venture).

“Thereafter, Hafiz Nauman, being chairman received a letter from M/s Green Parking Dubai that agreement had been signed without their participation and fraudulent misrepresentation by M/s AGCN/NTG Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd, whereas, the suspect being the chairman Board of Directors deliberately accorded the approval for illegal change of JV partner.”

The NAB further said the suspect despite having knowledge of illegal signing of agreement without approval of BoD did not take any action which reflected his connivance in commission of offence.

“Mr Nauman also actively participated in physical verification and inspection of illegal JV partner M/s ZTE Corporation and proceeded to China as well,” the bureau said and added the suspect failed to exercise his authority and deliberately did not take any action for not handing over all the 246 parking sites as per agreement and whereby only handed over 33 lucrative parking sites to NTG/AGCN Pakistan which caused hefty financial loss to government kitty.

The NAB Lahore further said the suspect also failed to exercise his authority and did not ensure the capital investment to be made by NTG/AGCN Pakistan and committed criminal negligence by compromising the projected revenues.

SAAF PANI SCAM: Meanwhile, in the Saaf Pani Company, the NAB Lahore arrested five suspects -- former deputy secretary public health department Zahoor Ahmed Dogar, ex-chief resident engineer retired Maj Adnan Aftab, resident engineer Syed Masoodul Hassan, resident engineer Moinuddin and resident engineer Muhammad Younas.

The NAB said the suspects were allegedly involved in financial embezzlement related to the matters of Saaf Pani Company’s projects.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2018