ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r)Javed Iqbal has tightened the noose around the Punjab government and takenstrict notice of the non availability of the records in important casespertaining to the Shahbaz Sharif government.
NAB Chairman while taking serious notice of concealment of records inconnection with Multan Metro Project and four of the 56 public limitedcompanies established by Punjab government, on Tuesday directed the chiefsecretary to provide the required record at the earliest to ensure thetimely completion of the investigation.
Javed Iqbal chaired a high-level meeting at NAB headquarters to review theoverall progress of inquiries being conducted on his directions aftertaking charge of the coveted office on October 11, 2017.
Since taking charge, the chairman had authorised a total of 43 cases foronward prosecution in various NAB courts. The total approved cases includedscrutiny of 22 cases, inquiry in 17 cases and authorised investigations infour cases.
The chairman expressed dissatisfaction on the overall progress in 22 casesapproved by him for filing in NAB courts. He directed the officialsconcerned to take the cases to a logical conclusion through inquiry,investigation and scrutiny of various complaints within the stipulatedperiod. He said that the slogan ‘Accountability for All’ would be strictlyadhered to in order to free the country from corruption.
He also said that NAB did not believe in revenge and did not promote anyaffiliation with political parties or individuals. He directed NAB officersto perform their duties diligently and investigate all cases in accordancewith the law. He directed the officers to keep pace with the reforms beingpushed forward by him.
Javed Iqbal reviewed the progress of investigations in 435 companiesestablished by Pakistanis in Panama and British Virgin Islands, including15 companies owned by Zulfikar Bukhari, 34 offshore companies owned bySenator Usman Saifullah and his family, four offshore companies of AleemKhan in the United Kingdom and companies established by Chaudhry MoonisElahi and others.
The chairman expressed concern over the lazy attitude being shown by theofficials of Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR), Security and ExchangeCommission of Pakistan (SECP), State Bank of Pakistan and National Databaseand Registration Authority (NADRA) while providing the record to NAB. Hedirected them to provide the record of 435 offshore companies owned byvarious Pakistanis and to complete the investigations as soon as possible.
The chairman also directed the chief secretary to provide the record ofMultan Metro Bus project, 56 public limited companies established by thePunjab government and non-provision of record of four companies out of atotal of 56. The record of four companies, including Punjab Saaf PaniCompany and Punjab Power Development Company, have not yet been provided bythe Punjab Anti-Corruption director general despite possessing the relevantrecord.
The chairman directed the chief secretary to provide the required record sothat investigations against 56 public limited companies could be completedon time. The working of any company should not be stopped due to NABinquiry, he added.
He further directed an inquiry against Federal Minister for Ports andShipping Kamran Michael for alleged misuse of authority. He also orderedscrutiny of a complaint against former Railways Chairman Arif Azeem,alleged corruption in National Testing Service, Paragon City Lahore, EdenHousing and Developers, Lahore, and Rawalpindi Railways Employees HousingSociety, and directed the officials concerned to take the investigations totheir logical conclusion.
The chairman also reviewed the progress on cases of former RailwaysMinister Haji Zafar Leghari, Sindh Health Secretary Dr Fazalullah Pechhu,former Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali, Former WaterManagement Director General Agha Zafarullah Durrani, member of NationalAssembly (MNA) Captain (r) Safdar, Baluchistan Minister Muhammad KhanShahwani, Karachi Monitoring Director General Imdad Memon, former MNA SyedNasir Ali Shah, former Baluchistan ministers Jaffar Khan Mandokhel,Obaidullah Jan Babat, former Baluchistan Inspector General Dr MujeeburRehman, former special assistant to Sindh Chief Minister Zilah Mil, formermembers of provincial assemblies (MPAs) Ahmed Hussein Dahar, Jawad KamranKhar, Sardar Ali Dareshik, officers of Ministry of National Health Servicesand Regulations.
The chairman also reviewed the progress of other cases as well, includingthose initiated against officers of Pakistan International Airlines,Karachi Development Authority, Officers housing Society of KPT, AbdullahYousaf and directed to complete the investigations, inquiries within thestipulated period.