NAB to file corruption references against top former officers

LAHORE - The executive board of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday approved to initiate corruption references against several former top officers for bringing loss to public exchequer.

The bureau will file references against Ghulam Mustafa Malik, former deputy director general building control CDA; Khalil Ahmad, former director general building control CDA; Ammar Idrees, former deputy director general building control CDA; Khadim Hussain, former assistant director general building control CDA; and Rana Abdul Qayyum, owner Safa Gold Mall for approval of the building map to construct additional floors illegally.

Also, a corruption reference will be filed against former DG Galiyat Development Authority Tariq Hayat Khan and others over Rs90m embezzlement.

Former MD Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Hamid Latif Rana and others also face a reference for making assets beyond means which caused a loss of Rs337m to the national exchequer.

Meanwhile, the NAB’s executive board allowed investigations against Lt General Muhammad Afzal Junejo, Brig (r) Iftikhar Mehdi, former secretary Balochistan Finance Ministry Mehfooz Ali Khan, directors of M/s Allah Hu Holdings and United Insurance Company, and others over Rs243.6m misappropriations and misusing public funds.

The top anti-corruption body on Tuesday launched an investigation against former Punjab Public Relations (PR) director-general Raja Jahangir Anwar, who is also incumbent Punjab Information secretary.

The investigation comes after the top graft-buster arrested former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director-general Ahad Cheema.

Jahangir was endowed with two official public offices. NAB’s inquiry is lodged with regards to Jahangir’s DGPR tenure.

Previously, NAB arrested Cheema and revealed sufficient evidence to prove the accused’s involvement in the commission of offences as defined under Section 9(a) and Schedule of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

Also, in Tuesday meeting with NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal in the chair, the bureau’s executive board approved inquriry against National Highway Authority (NHA) administration for illegally awarding a contract of the 230km Karachi-Lahore Motorway section (Abdul Hakeem) to China Railway 20th Bureau Group Co – a unit of China Railway Construction Corp – which caused losses to the tune of Rs1.4 billion to the national exchequer.

An inquiry against former MNAs Muddasar Qayyum Nahra and Azhar Qayyum Nahra will also be launched for making assets beyond means.