‘590 major corruption cases filed in 13 months’

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday rejected allegations that it lacked capacity to investigate white-collar crimes, saying that it had filed 590 mega corruption references in various accountability courts during the past 13 months.

Presiding over NAB’s executive board meeting, Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said the anti-graft watchdog had filed 1,210 references involving Rs900 billion corruption, which were being heard by various courts, said a press release.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) senior leader Aleem Khan was arrested on Wednesday in a NAB case, while former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been summoned on Friday in the LNG case. A NAB statement added that the board has approved the filing of three corruption references against different persons for causing losses of billions of rupee to the national exchequer.

One reference would be filed against Vice Admiral (retd) Ahmed Hayat, former chairman of the Karachi Port Trust, and others for allegedly allotting state land illegally, thus causing Rs18.18 billion loss to the national kitty, according to the statement.

Another corruption reference would be filed against Dr Ehsan Ali, former vice chancellor of the Khan Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, and others. They have been accused of misappropriating funds allocated for purchase of vehicles and fuel. It reportedly inflicted a loss of Rs23.48 million to the national exchequer.

According to the information, a third reference would be filed against Ayaz Ahmed, an irrigation officer in Khairpur, and others. Those nominated in the reference have been accused of misappropriating government funds in various schemes and awarding contracts based on nepotism, inflicting Rs89.3 million loss.

The executive board also approved investigations against officers of law enforcement agencies, including former inspector general of police Malik Naveed Khan, as well as against officials of the Mian Rashid Shaheed Memorial Hospital, Nowshera, and others.

It added that NAB wanted to clarify that the details of the decisions taken in the executive board meeting were shared with the people as per routine and this was not aimed at hurting anyone. “All inquiries and investigations are conducted on the basis of mere accusations and thus are not final. NAB decides about proceeding ahead on such cases after ascertaining the veracity of accusations by hearing the suspects,” it added.

Source: The Express Tribune