ISLAMABAD – National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a Reference inAccountability Court Islamabad against former Secretary Ministry ofInformation Technology (MoIT), Farooq Ahmad Awan and others inInternational Clearing House (ICH) case.

The others are Member (Legal), Ministry of Information Technology &Telecommunications, Kamran Ali, Officers/Officials of the Ministry,Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and PakistanTelecommunication Authority (PTA).

As per details issued here on Thursday, the accused Farooq Ahmad Awanremained Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology during processingand approval of Policy Directives on ICH.

He overstepped his mandate by fixing tariffs in Policy Directives on ICHwhich was sole mandate of PTA.

Hence, in this way, he misused his authority, aided and abetted whileacting in conspiracy with his co-accused Kamran Ali remained Member (Legal)Ministry of Information Technology in grant of undue and illegal benefit toLong Distance & International (LDI) Companies which earned them windfallprofits as a result of ICH Policy processed by the accused.

In his comments, Director General NAB Rawalpindi, Irfan Naeem Mangi saidBureau’s officers/officials under leadership of Chairman Justice (Retd)Javed Iqbal were determined to performing their national duty with absoluteobjectivity, professionalism, and without any leanings for or againstanybody. – APP