The National Accountability Bureau (NAB)'s executive board on Thursday approved the launch of two fresh inquiries and three references, the accountability watchdog said.

According to a press release, the board, chaired by NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal, approved a probe against Ghulam Mohammad, former secretary of the Balochistan communication and works department, and other officials and contractors. The NAB's top brass also approved an investigation against Asghar Shaikh, former director general of the Larkana Development Authority and others.

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The accountability watchdog also decided to file a reference against Haji Gulbar Khan, former health minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Zamurd Khan, former conservator Gilgit forest department, Haji Naseeb Khan, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Qasim and others. They are accused of abusing their powers and illegally issuing passes to seven contractors for cutting and transporting trees, causing a loss of almost Rs45.73 million rupees to the national exchequer.

In addition, NAB will file a corruption reference against Mehtab Ahmed Khan, former adviser to the prime minister on aviation, Irfan Illahi, former secretary of aviation division, Musharraf Rasool, former chairman of Pakistan International Airlines, Mohammad Ali Taba and others for abusing their powers and appointing Rasool as head of the national flag carrier airline, causing heavy losses to the treasury. The appointment has already been declared illegal.

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NAB also decided to file a reference against Kamran Ali Qureshi, former chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Asad Munir, former member estate CDA, Khalid Mahmood, former director estate CDA, and others for allegedly abusing their powers to restore a plot in F11, Islamabad while violating rules and regulations.

The executive board also allowed to investigate Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar, former federal minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi and Nawab Mohammad Yousuf Talpur for suspected money transfers, along with already continuing investigations.

The accountability watchdog, however, decided to close inquiry against former Sindh minister for Zakat and Ushr Dost Mohammad Sammon and others over lack for evidence.