LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to widen itsprobe into corruption allegations against Federal Railways Minister KhawajaSaad Rafique.
Rafique, who is already facing an investigation by the anti-graft bodypertaining to a housing scam, has been accused of misusing his authority tooverspend national resources while working in the railways.
According to a statement issued by NAB, the railways minister is suspectedof having leased out expensive railways land in violation of theregulations. He also allegedly misused government funds in buying machinery.
On Wednesday, a top NAB official had said that the property dealings ofKhawaja Saad Rafique were found to be ‘suspicious’. Denying Rafique’sallegations that NAB investigators were responsible for leaking hisproperty documents, NAB Lahore Director General Shahzad Saleem had said thebureau was operating with complete honesty and that Rafique’s case would be“decided on merit.”
Last week, the Supreme Court ordered a complete audit of Pakistan Railwaysduring a suo motu hearing of alleged Rs60 billion corruption in theinstitution.
NAB is also investigating the Ashiana Housing scam, in which millions ofrupees were allegedly transferred into the account of Paragon HousingSociety, which is said to have been owned by Saad Rafique and his brother,Punjab minister Khawaja Salman Rafique.