NAB to conduct probe against ex-minister of Sindh, Tappi
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday decided to launch probe against former home minister of Sindh Sohail Anwar Siyal and Awais Muzaffar Tappi, a close aide to former president Asif Ali Zardari, in corruption cases.
The decision was made in a meeting of the bureau’s executive board presided over by NAB chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal.
According to an official press release, the meeting approved conduct of five investigations against different suspects, including officers of Special Initiative Department, Sindh; Messrs Pak Oasis Industries Private Limited and others; Aslam Shah, chairman PMS, GIEDA; Farid Ahmed, former managing director, GIDA; management of Sindh fisheries department; Sohail Anwar Siyal; Ali Anwar; and management of the Balochistan Development Authority (BDA).
The meeting also approved conduct of seven inquiries against various suspects, including Fida Khan; Aftab Khan; Awais Muzaffar Tappi; officers of Karachi Port Trust; Qadir Bakhsh; Dr Ahmed Nadeem Akbar, former registrar, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council; Muhammad Akbar Baloch; Shoaib Ahmed Gola, senior member, Board of Revenue, Quetta; and Muhammad Rafique Banbhan.
To file references against MPA, officials
The meeting decided to file a corruption reference against Jam Khan Shoro, a member of the Sindh Assembly; Master Karan Khan Shoro; Kashif Shoro, chairman, Qasimabad Town Committee; Shahnawaz Soomro, assistant commissioner, Qasimabad; Akhtar Ali Sheikh; Ali Zulfikar Memon; Imtiaz Solangi; Bachal Mir Bahar; Pir Bakhsh Jatoi; Tahir Ali Bhimbro; Bakhat Ali; Zeeshan Qureshi; Shahid Pervaiz Memon; and Muhammad Bachal Rahoto.
They are accused of occupying state land in the Qasimabad area of Hyderabad district, Sindh, though misuse of authority, causing a loss of about Rs5 billion to the national exchequer.
The meeting also approved filing of a corruption reference in an accountability court against Adil Karim, deputy director, Board of Investment (BoI); Muhammad Muslim, former director, BoI; Fahad Ali Chaudhry, director BoI; Naeem Ejaz Qureshi, director, Directorate of Internal Audit, Customs, Islamabad; Mehmood Alam, former member, Indirect Taxes Policy, FBR; Sikandar Aslam, former commissioner, Inland Revenue, Regional Tax Office, Karachi, and others.
They are accused of inflicting Rs417.409 million losses on the national exchequer by abusing authority.
The anti-graft watchdog decided to close an inquiry against the procurement committee and others on procuring a helicopter for the Balochistan government owing to lack of evidence.
Addressing to the meeting, the NAB chairman said eradication of corruption and emergence of a corruption-free Pakistan was the foremost priority of the bureau. “NAB is pursuing the policy of accountability for all. It is a national anti-corruption institution which has no affiliation with any individual, group or political party. It has affiliation with only the state of Pakistan,” he added.
“NAB has so far recovered Rs714bn directly or indirectly from corrupt elements and deposited the recovered money into national exchequer,” he said.
The chairman directed the NAB officials to utilise available resources for concluding complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations on the basis of concrete evidence within the prescribed time frame.
He directed the investigation officers and prosecutors to pursue the cases in courts with full preparation. He also directed the NAB officials to protect self-respect of the visiting accused.
He directed the officials to take the cases of fake housing societies and cooperative housing societies to logical conclusion so that the looted money could be returned to the affected people.
Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2021