National Accountability Bureau (NAB) updates

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NAB opens probe against religious affairs minister

May 20, 2020

Reference filed against officials of foreign affairs ministry for ‘illegally selling’ embassy building in Jakarta. — AFP/File


ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday started process of complaint verification against Minister of Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri for his alleged involvement in renting out a building of his ministry to his alleged business partner in the federal capital.

An informed source told Dawn that NAB took the decision at its Executive Board Meeting (EBM) on a complaint lodged against the minister by someone from his ministry.

A press release issued by the NAB headquarters said: “The EBM authorised conducting of complaint verification against officers/officials and others of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.”

The source said the NAB believed it was a case of “conflict of interest”.

The meeting also approved filing of a reference against some officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for “illegally” selling a building of the Pakistan Embassy in Jakarta and holding separate inquiries against a son of Rukhsana Bangash, political secretary to former president Asif Zardari, and former housing minister Akram Khan Durrani.

Reference filed against officials of foreign affairs ministry for ‘illegally selling’ embassy building in Jakarta

About the selling of the embassy building in Jakarta, NAB had received information that the foreign affairs ministry had been aware of the fraud, but it did not take any action.

NAB is also investigating a similar case of selling of the embassy building in Tokyo.

According to NAB, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs caused heavy losses to the national exchequer by selling the embassy building in Jakarta in violation of rules and regulations and by misusing their authority.

The NAB meeting also authorised an investigation against Arif Ibrahim, senior joint secretary in the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination.

The bureau also approved five inquiries against various people, including Umer Manzoor, son of Rukhsana Bangash, former member of the National Assembly and political secretary to former president Zardari, officers/officials of the Ministry of Housing and Works and others; Syed Akhtar Hussain Rizvi, former secretary of Works, Gilgit-Baltistan, and two separate inquiries against Akram Durrani, former minister for housing and works, officers/officials of the ministry, management and others of job testing services.

The meeting decided to refer the ongoing inquiry against officers/officials and others of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to NAB Rawalpindi for further examination as per law.

Speaking at the meeting, NAB chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal urged media, citizens and officials of all government institutions to play their role in identifying illegal housing societies.

“Media should investigate the legal position of housing societies, whether a housing society has sufficient land on the ground and has a layout plan and NOC approved by the regulator concerned as per law before airing/publishing advertisements of such housing schemes,” he said.

“This is essential as some housing societies exist only on paper and vanish from the market after devouring billions of rupees of innocent people,” the NAB chairman said.

He directed all NAB officers to conduct complaint verification, inquiries and investigations and pursue NAB cases in all accountability courts with complete preparation, including solid and concrete evidence as per law.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2020

 

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Sindh CM appears before NAB, records statement

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday appeared before the Combined Investigation Team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi and recorded his statement in ongoing investigations on Roshan Sindh Project relating to fake bank account scam.

In a two hour interrogation at the NAB Rawalpindi, Murad Ali Shah recorded his statement before the Combined Investigation Team of NAB and replied to the questions and rejected the allegations regarding Roshan Sindh Project. Though he was not handed over questioners but the NAB team has decided to send him questioner later on.

Talking to the newsmen outside the NAB Rawalpindi after his appearance before the NAB’s Combined Investigation Team Murad Ali Shah said the NAB has summoned him in an inquiry of scheme of solar lights of year 2014 when he was a Finance Minister of Sindh. “They asked me question about the Roshan Sindh Project and I answered their questions,” he said. Murad Ali Shah, who was accompanied with Secretary General PPP Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar in a press talk outside the NAB Rawalpindi offices, said the NAB’s team has asked him that why the scheme was approved later when it wasn't included in the budget and he answered them that the scheme which is not under discussion can be approved later, according to the Article 124 of the Constitution and Roshan Sindh Project was also approved by the provincial assembly later.

Murad Ali Shah said that he had not been provided with a questionnaire by NAB but whenever he receives it, he would respond to it. He said he asked the NAB officials that they are still working on managing coronavirus pandemic.

While replying to questions with regard to COVID-19, Chief Minister Sindh blamed mixed signals from the Center as a cause for the violation of SOPs. “The entire world and our country are going through a trial at the moment but SOPs are not being followed at a lot of places and I will not blame the public for it. This is because of the mixed signals being sent to people. One person says it is a dangerous disease while another says it is just flu, you will be fine after suffering a cold," he said. He said, “We have to take a decision to close our international borders. Stranded Pakistanis should be brought back,” he said.

He said he did not have any differences with anyone with regard to COVID-19 but only concerned about the people of Pakistan. “There is no single press conference of mine against the federal government,” he said. He said the markets were open on the directives of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

 

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NAB grills Shahbaz Sharif in Money-laundering case

The combined investigation team (CIT) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Tuesday grilled opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif for one-and-a-half hours in an investigation related to the alleged money-laundering and assets beyond means against him and his family members.

NAB had made special security and Covid-19 safety arrangements for Shahbaz’s hearing. A heavy contingent of law-enforcement agencies, along with a water canon were deployed outside the NAB Lahore offices. A larger number of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) workers had also gathered outside the NAB offices, who welcomed their leader on his arrival with flowers while chanting slogans in his favour.

Previously, Shahbaz had avoided appearing before NAB for a couple of times due to Covid-19, saying he had a weak immunity. However, his supporters, who were in a large number, did not follow any safety protocols.

It has been learnt that Shahbaz was questioned by two members of the CIT for more than an hour. Shahbaz submitted reply to the questioner which was handed him over in previous hearing.

As per sources, Shahbaz was asked about the gifts, given by him to his wife. Questions were also asked bout Barclays Bank loans. Sources said Shahbaz was confronted with the report of Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU).

As per sources, after departure of Shahbaz, the CIT examined the written replies of Shahbaz Sharif. Sources said that the first view of CIT members on Shahbaz’s reply was dissatisfactory. Sources said that most likely Shahbaz would be summoned again. However, no such decision had been taken yet, sources added.

On June 2, Shahbaz had skipped appearance before NAB in the said investigation, which resulted in a raid on his residence. However, Shahbaz managed to avoid the arrest.

Later, he secured bail from the Lahore High Court till June 17. Had he appeared before NAB on June 2, he would have been arrested, as the Bureau had issued his arrest warrants on May 28. Apparently Shahbaz got the whiff of that and did not appear on June 2.

In a call-up notice to Shahbaz, NAB had asked Shahbaz to provide details of properties inherited by him. The Bureau said that from 1998 to 2018, Shahbaz’s family assets grew from scratches to billions. As a public office-holder, Shahbaz needs to explain the increase in his assets, NAB added.

It also asked Shahbaz to submit bank details along with the loan taken from Barclays Bank from 2005 to 2007. Furthermore, NAB also sought details of all gifts received and given by the family, details of agricultural income from 2008 to 2019 and details about utilisation of Shahbaz’s Model Town residence as Chief Minister’s camp house.

Last year in December, the NAB had issued orders to freeze 23 properties belonging to the former chief minister and his sons -- Hamza and Suleman -- over the allegation that they acquired assets beyond their means and committed money-laundering.

According to the Accountability Bureau, an investigation against Shahbaz, Hamza, Suleman and others for the offence of “corruption and corrupt practices” had revealed that Shahbaz had acquired properties in the name of his wives Nusrat Shahbaz and Tehmina Durrani.

Among the properties frozen are nine plots in Lahore’s Johar Town, four in Judicial Colony, two houses in Model Town and as many houses in DHA. Furthermore, the Bureau also froze a cottage and a villa in Pir Sohawa and two more plots in Chiniot.

NAB concluded that Shahbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman acquired assets beyond their known sources of income and allegedly committed money laundering. Suleman Shahbaz has also been declared a proclaimed offender in said investigation.

 

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NAB launches inquiry against PM’s ex-cabinet member

June 10, 2020
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2239603/1-nab-launches-inquiry-pms-ex-cabinet-member-2/

ISLAMABAD: The country’s top graft buster – the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) – has authorized an inquiry against Prime Minster Imran Khan’s former cabinet member Aamir Mehmood Kayani, who served as federal minister for national health services from Aug 20, 2018 to April 18, 2019.

It has also authorized its officials to verify a complaint filed against the de facto health minister, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza.

The accountability watchdog took these decisions at its elite forum – the Executive Board Meeting (EBM) – that was chaired by NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, according to a press release issued after the meeting on Tuesday.

The EBM authorized its relevant officials to conduct a total of three inquiries – inquiry against Kayani and others; inquiry against officers and officials of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and others and inquiry against officers and officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and others.

“The EBM authorized conducting complaint verification against SAPM Dr Mirza,” the statement added

According to NAB law, if the watchdog during complaint verification finds that the complaint was prima facie frivolous or was filed with intent to malign or defame any person, it may refer the matter to a court, which may award up to one-year imprisonment to the complainant, if found guilty.

The meeting also authorized sending inquiries against officers and officials of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and others to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources after analyzing inquiry and perusing audit paras.

Some legal experts believe that NAB’s law and practice do not make a distinction between an inquiry and an investigation and it is left to a NAB investigator’s discretion to transform an inquiry into investigation or even arrest people during an inquiry.

The consequences of an inquiry and investigation can involve the options of “voluntary return” of looted money and “plea bargain”. The former, a lenient option, can only be availed in an inquiry.

An accused can apply for plea bargain as per clause 25-B of NAB ordinance at the stage of investigation.

NAB on receipt of a plea bargain request in which the accused admits his guilt, examines the application as per law. The individual liability of the accused is determined on the basis of the looted money and after determination of his total liability.

NAB after careful review forwards the request of plea bargain along with total liability to an accountability court. If the accused agrees to return the looted money from the date of money he has looted, he submits his first installment with his plea bargain after determination of his total liability.

NAB forwards the plea bargain request along with his total liability for final approval of the respective accountability court. The court after appraisal of record, documents and liability of the accused in the case, accords final approval of plea bargain of the accused.

After approval of plea bargain request, the accused is bound to pay the remaining amount in 3 installments. As per clause 25-b of NAB law, a plea bargain is deemed conviction as accused not only accepts his guilt but also agrees to pay his total liability which is deposited in the national exchequer.

The NAB chairman directed all directors general to conclude complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations within the stipulated time frame. He directed prosecutors and investigators to pursue NAB cases after preparations by ensuring concrete evidence in accordance with law.

During tenure of Javed Iqbal, NAB has directly or indirectly recovered Rs178 billion and deposited the money in the national exchequer. Some 1,229 references involving corruption of Rs900 billion are under trial in different accountability courts.

“Prestigious national and international institutions especially the World Economic Forum, the Transparency International Pakistan and Pildat, in their recent reports have lauded the performance of NAB,” the statement added.

 

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NAB arrests Sindh local govt secretary, ex-DCO, eight others

Jamal Khurshid
August 25, 2020

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau arrested Secretary Local Government Roshan Sheikh and eight other former KMC officials after the Sindh High Court dismissed their pre-arrest bail. They were booked for illegal allotment of 221.55 acres of land in Landhi.

The Secretary Local Government, Roshan Ali Sheikh, ex-DCO Karachi Fazalur Rehman, and former officers of defunct City District Government, Karachi, and Revenue Department, Nadeem Qadir Khokar, Mohammad Waseem, Sabahul Islam, Shahzad Khan, Sohail Yar Khan, Ahmed Ali, Mashkoor Khan and Furrukh Jamal had obtained pre-arrest bail in the NAB reference about the illegal allotment of 276 plots measuring 221.55 acres and had issued illegal challans of 121 plots of 4,000 square yards.

The NAB alleged that the accused caused loss to the national exchequer amounting to Rs.6.22 billion and committed the offence of corruption and corrupt practices. According to the prosecution, the KMC was given 250 acres land in 1960 for shifting wool-washing tanneries on payment of Malkano (govt fee). However, neither the land was utilized for that purpose nor it was incorporated into the village form in the name of KMC, due to non-payment of Malkano.
The NAB alleged that KMC officials from 2008 onward knew that neither wool washing tanneries scheme was established nor the plots were allotted but executed as many as 276 illegal leases from 2008 to 2015 of the said plots.

The defence counsel submitted that his clients were not beneficiaries of the scam as allotments were made before 1993 and the documents were not collected by the investigation officer with malafide intentions. They said that there was a civil dispute between the KMC and the Revenue Department over the title of the land, which was still pending adjudication before the SHC.

Special prosecutor NAB submitted that Roshan Ali Sheikh, being as executive district officer City District Government Karachi and former commissioner Karachi, misused the authority by deliberately issuing misleading reports to secretary Land Utilization Department about the status of the land allotted to KMC in 1960.
The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha, observed that the record reflected that the land was allotted to KMC in December 1960 for shifting wool washing tanneries from Lyari Quarter, Karachi, on payment of Malkano. The court observed that neither the land was properly leased nor the Malkano was paid and the said land was properly resumed by the Sindh government in 1993, therefore, KMC was not entitled to lease them. The court observed that it found no malafide on the part of NAB officials and the cases of white-collar crimes are complicated and the whole transaction and each component of the scam needs to the viewed completely because in most cases, the offence could not be committed without the active involvement of others in the chain of events which lead to the commission of offence.

The bench observed that a cursory glance of the record shows that all the defendants seeking pre-arrest bail have caused huge loss to the national exchequer in connivance with each other, therefore, pre-arrest bail of petitioners Sabahul Islam, Mohammad Waseem, Roshan Ali Sheikh, Fazalur Rehman, Ahmed Ali, Farrukh Jamal, Naeem Qadir Khokhar and Sohail Yar Khan was recalled and their interim bails were dismissed.

The court, however, granted bail after arrest to three ex-KMC officers Shoukat Hussain Jokhio, Mohammad Shoiab and Saif Abbas on hardship grounds submitting that they were under arrest in the case for the last two years. The court granted them bail subject to furnishing surety in the sum of Rs.2 million each and directed the Ministry of Interior to place their names on the Exit Control List.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

It is fast being established that the , Courts can't take a rich guy and put him in Prison

The Workarounds have been created and Law is altered and Judges are bought and Lawyers are bought to prevent any long term decision announcement

The Bail culture has destroyed the Judiciary


Trust cannot be attained in current system unless it is created from scratch !!!!

 

[ghazi52]

NAB all set to file two corruption references

The Frontier Post
December 22, 2020


ISLAMABAD: On Tuesday, the Executive Board meeting of National Accountability Bureau ( NAB) approved filing of two corruption references, eight investigations and 15 inquiries against various personalities.

The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) was chaired by NAB Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal. During the meeting it was approved that corruption reference will be filed against Imran Ali Yousaf and others for utilising government funds for personal gains, which inflicted Rs 499,201,392 losses to the national exchequer.

Additionally, the Executive Board Meeting approved filing corruption reference against Sarwar Javed, former member Board of Revenue, Quetta, Shahbaz Khan Mandokhel, former senior member Board of Revenue for illegally allotting state land to Dilshad Akhtar, causing Rs 60.48 million losses to the national exchequer.


It was also revealed that during the meeting the EBM accorded approval of conducting eight investigations against the persons including Mudassar Qayyum Nehra, former MNA,Azhar Qayyum Nehra, former MNA and others,Muhammad Asif Bilal, former director Food, Punjab, Ahmed Sher,deputy director, Food, Punjab and others,management of Balochistan Development Authority and others,Balochistan Integrated Water Resource Management and Development Project,management of BDA, Haji Zarif Hussain Zai, contractor, district Musakhel and others, management of Revenue Department, district, Naushaki and others,officers/officials of Teaching, DHQ, Hospital, Dera Ghazi Khan and others, and inquiries against MS Abdullah Sugar Mills, Limited, Depalpur, Lahore and others.

Whereas, the forum also accorded approval of conducting 15 inquiries against various personalities including Saiful Maluk Khokar, member provincial assembly,Punjab,Dr Abdul Maalik, former chief minister, Balochistan, Sanaullah Zerhi, former chief minister, Balochidtan, Akbar Durrani, former secretary, home department, Quetta, four inquiries against Punjab public limited companies chief executives, Rahim Ziaratwal, former minister, education department, Quetta, and others, Juma Khan,member provi-ncial assembly, Balochis-tan, Naseebullah Bazai, former additional chief secretary, Balochistan, Tariq Murtaza, MS Startrack Traders and others,
Mehar Ejaz Ahmed Machlana,former member provincial assembly/ former member disaster management and others, Rais Ibrahim Khalil Ahmed, former Provincial assembly, officials of revenue department, Liaquatpur,and others, Arif Azim, former chairman Railways, Mohsin Raza, general manager GEPCO, Gujranwala, Mrs Rani Hafza Kanwal,former Assistant deputy commissioner, (Revenue) Gujrat,MS Abdullah Sugar Mills.

 

[ghazi52]

Supreme Court wants stronger, brave NAB

Fake bank accounts case, Justice Bandial says court not satisfied with performance of watchdog, Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi says NAB did not have power to act on its own | Why NAB gave time to main accused till February 15, asks Justice Sajjad Ali Shah

https://nation.com.pk/NewsSource/agencies
Agencies
January 07, 2021

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday accepted the post-arrest bail plea of Dr Dinshaw Hoshang Anklesaria, the main accused in the fake bank accounts case.

The three-member SC bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, however, directed Dr Dinshaw to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in investigations and barred him from leaving the country.

The apex court, however, rejected the bail petition of co-accused Jamil Baloch, director of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA).

According to NAB, Dr Dinshaw, an accountant of Park Lane Estate Company and advisor to the Sindh chief minister had illegally got allotted an amenity plot belonging to Bagh Ibne Qasim Karachi to the Bahria Town, in connivance with Jamil Baloch causing over Rs 100 billion loss to the national exchequer. Bahria Town has constructed its Icon Tower over the plot.

Both Dr Dinshaw and Jamil Baloch had been in NAB custody in the fake bank accounts case. During the course of proceedings, the NAB prosecutor said the Bureau would not oppose bail to Dr Dinshaw,

However, it would oppose the bail pleas of government officials.

Dr Dinshaw’s granted post-arrest bail, Co-accused’s bail petition rejected

He said the Bureau had asked Zain Malik of Bahria Town to submit a no-objection certificate (NoC) over his plea bargain application till February 15, and in case of failure to do so, action would be taken against him.
Justice Bandial said the court was not satisfied with the performance of NAB. It wanted the Bureau stronger, and it should show bravery and moral courage, he added. Law should be applied equally to all.

Accountability should be carried out in accordance with the law, but NAB seemed to be under pressure from all quarters.

If the Bureau did not act in accordance with the law, the court would take action, he added.

Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi said NAB did not have the power to act on its own. Only with amendment in Section 9, it could do whatever it wanted, he added.

He said NAB did not catch the big corrupt people while small thieves were put in jail for five years. The Bureau did not arrest the real culprit involved in corruption scams.

The prosecutor general replied that NAB did not work on its own as it produced the accused before the Accountability Court within 24 hours of their arrest.

Justice Naqvi observed that the court knew that the cases dealt with by NAB were not ordinary criminal cases. NAB arrested government officials first but not those against whom it had evidence of their wrongdoings. The NAB prosecutor said there was no pressure on the Bureau and no one stopped it from working.

Justice Sajjad Ali Shah remarked that NAB knew that it was difficult for Zain Malik to produce the NoC. If Zain Malik did so then NAB would initiate trial of the NOC’s issuers.

The NAB prosecutor replied that if the NOC was produced, its issuer would also be included in the lawsuit. Justice Sajjad Ali Shah asked as to why NAB had given time to the main accused till February 15.
Justice Bandial said the bench had gone through the NAB’s performance report. The Bureau had collected billions of rupees, he added.

 

[ghazi52]

NAB authorizes filing two references, seven inquiries and five investigations


The Frontier Post
January 13, 2021


ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday authorized filing two corruption references, seven inquiries and five investigations against various suspects for plundering national wealth worth billion of rupees.

The EBM presided over by NAB Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal authorized filing corruption reference against Jam Khan Shoro, member Provincial Assembly, Sindh/ former minister for Local Government, Sindh, Master Kran Khan Shoro, Kashif Shoro, Chairman Town Committee Qasimabad, Hyderabad, District Officer, Revenue, Shahnawaz Soomro, assistant Commissioner, Qasimabad, Hyderabad, Akhtar Ali Sheikh, Mukhtiarkar, Qasimabad, Hyderabad, Ali Zulfikar Memon, Mukhtiarkar, Qasimabad, Hyderabad,Imtiaz Solangi, Supervising Tpaidar, Deh Jamshoro, Bachal Mir Bahar, Tpaidar, Deh Jamshoro, Pir Bakhsh Jatoi, Tpaidar, Deh, Jamshoro, Anwaarbati land record officer, Survey and land Record officer, Hyderabad, Murree, Inspector ,Revenue and City Survey,settlement, Survey and record officer, Hyderabad, Tahir Ali Bhimbro , Revenue Surveyor. Hyderabad, Bakhat Ali, Survey Tpaidar, settlement Survey and land record officer, Hyderabad, Zeeshan Qureshi, Survey Tpaidar, survey and land record officer, Hyderabad, Liyar ,Layari, Revenue Surveyor,settlement , survey and land record officer, Shahid Pervaiz Memon, Additional Director, P and DC, Hyderabad Development Authority, Muhammad Bachal Rahoto, Deputy District officer, Qasimabad, Hyderabad. The accused had occupied state land at Jamshoro, Qasimabad, Sindh by sheer abuse of authority, inflicting Rs 5 billion losses to national exchequer.

The forum authorized filing corruption reference against Adil Karim, Deputy Director, Board of Investment, Islamabad, Muhammad Muslim, former Director Board of Investment, Islamabad, Fahad Ali Chaudhry, Director ,Board, Directorate of Internal Audit, Customs, Islamabad, Naeem Ejaz Qureshi, Director,Directorate of Internal Audit, Customs, Islamabad, Mehmood Alam, former member Indirect Taxes Policy, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Sikandar Aslam, Former Commissioner,Inland Revenue , Regional Tax Office, Karachi and others. The accused inflicted huge losses of almost Rs 417.409 million to national exchequer by abusing authority.

The EBM accorded approval of conducting seven inquiries against various accused including against Fida Khan, Aftab Khan (Frontman), Awais Muzaffar Tappi and others, officers/officials of Karachi Port Trust and others,Qadir Bakhsh and others, Dr Ahmed Nadeem Akbar, Former Registrar, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and others, Muhammad Akbar Baloch, project director, director Solar System for Water Supply and Drainage Scheme, Public Health Engineering Department, Sindh and others, Shoaib Ahmed Gola, senior member, Board of Revenue, Quetta, Muhammad Rafique Banbahan and others.

The EBM also authorized conducting five investigations against various accused including officers/officials of Special Initiative Department, Sidh, Messers Pak Oasis Industries Private Limited and others, Aslam Shah, Chairman PMS, GIEDA, Farid Ahmed, former Managing Director GIDA, members of Allotment Committee, former PDMS, GIEDA and others , management of Fisheries department and others, Sohail Anwer Siyal, former provincial Home Minister, Sindh, Ali Anwar and others, management of Balochistan Development Authority.

 

[ghazi52]

Corruption reference:
NAB indicts Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah


https://nation.com.pk/NewsSource/web-desk


January 19, 2021


The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has indicted Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a corruption reference.

NAB has filed the reference against CM Sindh in the accountability court Islamabad for misuse of power in energy projects in Sindh. The NAB reference says that unregulated funds were released for energy projects in Sindh. Billions were misappropriated in the Nooriabad Power Company and Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company projects.

17 Persons including Sindh Chief Minister and Abdul Ghani Majeed have been indicted in the reference.

 

[ghazi52]

Illegal land allotment case: NAB seizes properties of Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan

Court fixes January 28 for Rehman's indictment


January 19, 2021

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday revealed that it has seized all properties of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan in the illegal plot allotment case which also involves Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakilur Rehman.

The anti-graft body's investigation officer, Abid Hussain, informed the court that earlier orders have been executed in the case and the property has been seized.

The court also fixed January 28 for Rehman's indictment and summoned co-accused former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director-general Humayun Faiz Rasool at the next hearing.

The court had found Rehman, Nawaz, Rasool and another co-accused Bashir Ahmed guilty.

According to the anti-corruption watchdog, Rehman had illegally acquired 54 plots, each measuring one kanal, at Canal Bank in H-Block of Lahore Johar Town in 1986 in connivance with then Punjab chief minister Nawaz Sharif.

Under the LDA rules, the exemption could be granted for 15 plots only. However, 54 plots were exempted in a single block on Nawaz's approval.

Under the exemption policy, 70% of the land was supposed to remain with the LDA but it was never transferred.

Last year in November, an accountability court in Lahore declared former prime minister Nawaz an absconder and issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him in an illegal plot allotment case.

During the previous hearing, the NAB prosecutor maintained that Rehman also included two streets in the allotted plots with Nawaz's connivance.

 

[ghazi52]

NAB Karachi arrests accused Aftab Ahmed Memon


by The Frontier Post

KARACHI: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi arrested accused Aftab Ahmed Memon son of Muhammad Hashim Memon, Ex Secretary Land Utilization Department, Sindh on May 21 in Reference No 4/2020, which is under trial before the Accountability Court-II Karachi.

The accused was produced before the said Court on May 22 and was consequently remanded to judicial custody in Central Prisons Karachi, said a statement issued by NAB Karachi on Sunday. The accused was involved in illegal restoration of a long-cancelled revenue entries of 32 acres of land situated at District Malir, Karachi in favor of private persons.

The accused also misused his authority by issuing a challan and allotment order of another 90 acres of valuable government land situated at District Malir in favor of Staff Cooperative Housing Society of State Bank of Pakistan. The challan & allotment order were issued during the ban on allotment imposed by Supreme Court of Pakistan. The worth of land involved comes to the tune of Rs 500 million approximately.

 

[ghazi52]

NAB files appeals against Shahid Khaqan, Miftah Ismail, Ahsan Iqbal’s bail


The Frontier Post

ISLAMABAD (APP): The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday challenged the bails of PML-N leaders former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal and Miftah Ismail in the Supreme Court.

The NAB filed separate petitions against the decisions of the Islamabad High Court regarding granting of bails to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal and Miftah Ismail.

The NAB in its prayer pleaded the court to declare bail decisions of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal and Miftah Ismail null and void as there was no hardship matter in these cases.

The NAB stated that the IHC had ignored the facts in the decisions.

The NAB also named the federation as party in the case.

The Islamabad High Court had ordered Ahsan Iqbal to be released on bail on February 25, 2020 while bail of Miftah Ismail was accepted in December 2019 and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s bail was accepted on February 25, 2020 against Rs one million surety bond.

The NAB stated that former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was the main accused in the LNG reference. The NAB alleged that the LNG project was awarded to the favourite persons. The NAB petition also include the main points of the LNG inquiry report.

 

[ghazi52]

The government has appointed the former director-general of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Brig (Retd) Musaddiq Abbasi as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability and interior.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 93 of the Constitution [...], the president, on the advice of the prime minister, has been pleased to appoint Brig (retired) Musaddiq Abbasi as adviser to the prime minister on accountability and interior with immediate effect,” a notification issued by the Cabinet Division said.

The development comes days after Mirza Shahzad Akbar stepped down as the prime minister’s adviser on accountability and interior.

Akbar announced his resignation in a Twitter post on Monday but said that he will remain associated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

“I have tendered my resignation today to Prime Minister as Advisor. I sincerely hope the process of accountability continues under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan as per PTI’s manifesto. I will remain associated with the party and keep contributing as a member of the legal fraternity,” he tweeted.

Akbar did not mention any reason for his resignation. However, sources said that he resigned from his post after Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed dissatisfaction with his performance.

A former deputy prosecutor for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Akbar was appointed as the special assistant to the prime minister on accountability and interior in August 2018.

Akbar was promoted to an adviser to the prime minister on accountability and interior with the status of a state minister in July 2020.

He was also the chairman of the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) that was formed in 2018 to suggest ways and legal means to bring back looted money stashed abroad as well as probe properties owned by Pakistanis in foreign countries.

 

[ejaz007]

Asad Munir vindicated after death​

March 02, 2022

KARACHI: Retired Brigadier Asad Munir, who committed suicide after being mercilessly persecuted by NAB, was finally acquitted of the allegations, three years after his death, under the Ehtesab Ordinance 2021.

The late army officer took his life on March 16, 2019, and left a letter pleading his innocence. Pleading the defence case for his client Hussain, Advocate Imran Shafiq said Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Azam Khan, while acquitting his client and those other accused, ruled the case as not fit for trial.
Advocate Shafiq said the CDA and other departments had thoroughly investigated the case and could not find any shred of evidence to prove that the deceased, Asad Munir, or any other accused Brig (retd) Nusratullah, Ghulam Sarwar Sidhu and Mohammad had committed any wrongdoing. Advocate Imran Shafiq had previously served as NAB prosecutor but quit the anti-graft organisation in 2019. The case came to the limelight when in 2018, NAB arrested CDA’s ex Member Planning Brig (retd) Nusratullah, ex-Director Ghulam Sarwar Sidhu and contractor Mohammad Hussain. They were accused of involvement in alleged corruption in allotting over 400 acres of land for shuttle service in the Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad, to its contractor Mohammad Hussain. The shuttle service was planned as a security feature in the Diplomatic Enclave for those required to visit different embassies to acquire visas. Even then, the CDA had rejected the allegation and stated it follow all rules and procedures in allotment of the land. The NAB Rawalpindi was holding a parallel investigation with ex-CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari and ex-Member Planning Brig (retd) Asad Munir. Munir would be subjected to humiliating behaviour of the anti-graft organization who kept him handcuffed. Munir was a humble soul, who served in the Pakistan Army at different command and staff appointments besides heading ISI’s KPK sector.
Though he knew Justice Athar Minallah, who is the CJ of Islamabad High Court, as well as Supreme Court Justice Yahya Afridi, yet he never drew upon his connections during NAB’s interrogation. Subsequently, his name was put on ECL. Deeply disturbed and dejected by the needless humiliation for a crime he had not committed, he even then did not raise the issue with anyone, including his brother Col (retd) Khalid Munir. His misery and despair multiplied whenever he was repeatedly paraded handcuffed before the media, where once again he would be subjected to intense media reprimand and he would only say the situation was not acceptable to him.
Desperate with the hopeless situation, while pleading his innocence, in a letter to CJP Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on March 14, 2019, he wrote that he was being driven to take his own life. He only asked the CJP to see that no one else is meted out the humiliation that he was made to undergo. Driven by despair and anger at being gravely insulted, the very next morning, he hung himself.
Former CJP Asif Saeed Khosa asked NAB instead to submit a report. But to this day, the grief-stricken family who suffered from the torment does not know if the anti-graft organization even submitted any report.
Bereft with grief, his brother Col (retd) Khalid Munir couldn’t find words to phrase his response to the justice that was denied to his brother, or if it was delivered too late... But he did ask why his brother was defamed and maligned, and why Munir’s family had to suffer the agony and torment of miscarriage of justice. The saga doesn't end here, but continues for many others similarly charged for no crime of their own.

Asad Munir vindicated after death

KARACHI: Retired Brigadier Asad Munir, who committed suicide after being mercilessly persecuted by NAB, was finally acquitted of the allegations, three years after his death, under the Ehtesab...

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