ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday closed an investigation against Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in an alleged corruption case for want of evidence and approved filing of seven references against others, including officials and public representatives of Balochistan.

The decision was taken at a NAB Executive Board Meeting (EBM) presided over by its chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal.

“The EBM has authorised closing of investigations against Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Speaker Punjab Assembly, and two senior bureaucrats — Qazi Laiq Ahmed and Khalid Sherdil — due to absence of evidence,” said a press release issued by the NAB headquarters.

The meeting was attended by NAB deputy chairman Hussain Asghar, prosecutor general accountability Syed Asghar Haider and director general (operations) Zahir Shah. Directors general of regional bureaus participated in it via video link.

The EBM authorised filing of a reference against Rehmat Ali, former health minister of Balochistan, for allegedly abusing authority, awarding illegal contracts, making illegal appointments and accumulating assets beyond means.

Another reference was approved against Mir Muhammad Sadiq Imrani, former minister of Balochistan, for devouring a five-acre piece of land of the All Pakistan Clerk Association illegally which caused a loss of Rs280.26m to the national exchequer.

A reference was authorised against Maqbool Ahmed, former secretary of mines and minerals development of Balochistan, for allegedly awarding a contract to his favourite company by reducing the reserve price to Rs21m from Rs32.15m, thus inflicting a loss of Rs11m on the national kitty.

The EBM approved filing of a corruption reference against Nisar Ullah Khan, former district officer of Bannu, and others for alleged involvement in awarding illegal agreement of FC land in Bannu and Tank, causing a loss of Rs160.27m to the national exchequer.

The meeting approved a reference against Sher Zaman Khan, former deputy project director; Muhammad Jehangir Khan, project director, Pat Feeder Canal extension project; Abdul Hameed Mengal, former deputy project director; Muhammad Jehangir Khan, project director; Abdul Jabbar, former assistant engineer; Sardar Khan Soomro, former assistant engineer; Muhammad Abrahim Rind, former chief resident engineer; National Development Consultants, Lahore; and others. They are accused of illegally approving escalation charges in the funds of the Pat Federal Canal project in connivance with the contractor, which caused a loss of Rs597.741m to the national exchequer.

The NAB board authorised filing of a reference against Arshad Ahmed Khan, former district health officer, Nowshera; Dr Abuzar, district officer prevention; and Dr Mujtaba Ali, former coordinator of the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI), for their alleged involvement in 127 illegal appointments in different hospitals of Nowshera district.

The EBM approved a reference against Mara Jan, former manager of Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan, Gilgit; and Qalab Ali, former chairman of Gilgit District Council, for allegedly transferring the commission amount of lending loan worth Rs5.72m to personal account through a cheque, which inflicted a loss of Rs7.78m on the national exchequer.

The anti-graft watchdog authorised six investigations against Sardar Asiq Hussain Gopang, member of the National Assembly, and others; Aftab Ahmed Khan Memon, secretary of the utilisation department; Shaukat Jokhio, former district revenue officer; Muhammad Sohail, former director general; officers of the Malir Development Authority, Karachi; Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh, former acting inspector general of Sindh; the management of the planning and development, Balochistan; and Shahid Saleem Qureshi, former secretary of sports and youth affairs, Balochistan.

The meeting approved three inquiries against Abdullah Venice, former member of a provincial assembly; Aurangzeb, chief operating officer of Alkabir Town Private Limited, Lahore; and Sohaib Ashfaq and Nasir Farooq, inspectors of Punjab police.

Chairman Javed Iqbal told the meeting that it was NAB’s priority to eradicate corruption and take mega corruption cases to logical conclusion. “NAB has no affiliation with any political party, individual or group, but only with the state of Pakistan.”

He said NAB had recovered record Rs466 billion directly or indirectly by pursuing the policy of accountability for all. The performance of NAB had been appreciated by prestigious national and international institutions, he added.

The NAB chairman direc­ted utilisation of all available resources for nabbing proclaimed offenders and absconders, besides completing complaint verifications, inquiries, investigations within the prescribed time frame. He asked prosecution and investigation officers to fight cases after making comprehensive preparations so that the corrupt could not escape justice.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2020