ISLAMABAD: A high-level meeting chaired by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal on Friday was informed that out of 179 mega corruption cases 66 had been brought to a logical conclusion by accountability courts while 93 others were still under trial.

According to a statement issued by the NAB headquarters, the meeting expressed satisfaction over the watchdog’s performance in the corruption cases.

The meeting was told that Abdul Qadir Tawakal and others were fined Rs613 million; Ishtiaq Hussain of the Buraq Syn­dicate, Rawalpindi, and others Rs200m; and the Pakistan Medical Cooperative Housing Society’s management Rs70m.

Similarly, Haris Afzal, son of Sher Muhammad Afzal, and others were asked to pay Rs1 billion; Seth Nisar Ahmed and others Rs179m; Sheikh Muhammad Afzal of the Harris Steel Industry and others Rs331m; Raza Habib and Mrs Shumaila of the Janat Apparel, Faisalabad, Rs174m; Sheikh Muhammad Afzal Rs435m; the management of Galaxy City, Rawalpindi, and others Rs213m; former NICL chairman Ayaz Khan Niazi and others Rs900m; former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister Syed Mureed Kazim, Ahsanullah and others Rs200m; and Saeed Akhtar of Pakistan Railways and others $3.78m.

The meeting was also apprised that in six cases, NAB recovered a total of Rs7.859bn from the accused through voluntary returns. Among them, the management of Al-Hamra Hills and Eden Builders paid Rs1.902bn; M. Amjad Aziz of Divine Developers and others Rs313.3m; Khushal Associates, Nowshera, and others Rs60m; and former Balochistan minister Shahnawaz Marri Rs14m.

Also, Riaz Ahmed, former project director of police department, Balochistan, voluntarily returned an amount of Rs5.5bn that had been deposited in the national exchequer, said the statement.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2021