LAHORE, Sept 23: The National Accountability Bureau chairman has approved a reference against 12 people involved in a Rs9 billion Bank of Punjab financial scam.

NAB’s Punjab director investigations Brig Farooq Hamid (retired) told Dawn on Tuesday the reference had been approved and would be filed in an accountability court on Wednesday (today).

The accused are Hamesh Khan, former BoP president, Shaikh Afzal and Muhammad Haris, Haris Steel Mill directors, Irfan Ali, mill manager, Ali Ijaz, Haider Steel Mills, Abid Raza, Prime Scheme Traders, and senior BoP officers Haroon Aziz, Azizul Ahmad, Shoaib Qureshi, Adil Khan, Nauman Arif and Ziaul Haq.

Brig Hamid said the accused opened fictitious/proxy accounts by using fake CNICs and caused a Rs9 billion loss to the bank. He maintained that the accused got the loan by mortgaging worthless properties. Three of the accused – Haroon Aziz, Azizul Ahmad and Shoaib Qureshi – are on judicial remand. — Staff Reporter