ISLAMABAD: The owner of a multi-storey shopping mall in F-7 has sought pardon under the plea bargain.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) informed the accountability court of Islamabad on Monday that Rana Abdul Qayyum, owner of Safa Gold Mall, has filed an application before the NAB chairman, seeking release in the reference related to illegal construction of storeys.

Under sub section (b) of section 25 of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) during the pendency of an appeal, the accused offers to return to NAB, assets or gains acquired or made by him in the course, or as a consequence, of any offence under this ordinance.

It states that the NAB chairman may, in his discretion, after taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, accept the offer on terms and conditions as he may consider necessary, and if the accused agrees to return to NAB the amount determined by the chairman — the chairman shall refer the case to the court for the approval.

The accountability judge put off further proceeding in this matter till July 19.

NAB took action after the Capital Development Authority (CDA) board in 2017 decided to cancel the plot allotted to Safa Gold Mall, over construction of three illegal storeys and other violations in the building plan.

NAB Rawalpindi arrested former deputy director general building control Ghulam Murtaza Malik, director Khalil Ahmed, the then deputy director Ammar Idrees and mall owner Rana Abdul Qayyum.

CDA had auctioned plot number 5 in Jinnah Super Market in 2010, where its health department was once located. But in a highly questionable move, the civic agency converted the health facility into a commercial plot.

According to the prosecution, in the allotment letter, it was clearly defined that the floor-area ratio of the building would be 1:5 with 100pc coverage and the number of storeys was ground plus four, thus capping the height of the building.

It went on to say that NAB accused Rana Abdul Qayyum being the owner of the plot, knowingly and with criminal intent, in collusion with CDA officials gained illegal favours and undue benefits which caused the authorities a loss of about Rs1.07 billion.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2021