Corporate, Political, Government Corruption News in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board of NAB in a meeting on Wednesday presided over by Chairman Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari gave a ‘go ahead’ signal to conduct inquiry against top officials of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) who allegedly caused loss of Rs2 billion to the national exchequer in the NBP Karobar Scheme.

The scheme launched during the Musharraf regime in 2006 related to disbursement of loans for various projects like CNG rickshaws. “This is just the beginning and inquires will be held on the complaints against the top officials of the National Bank of Pakistan in the Karobar scheme,” NAB spokesman Zafar Iqbal told The News.

He said there were complaints that loans were disbursed against the rules and regulations devised for the scheme.He declined to name the officials and said that it could be known after the inquiries whether the previous top management of the National Bank of Pakistan was involved in it or not.

National Bank of Pakistan is holding some other inquiries too against top officials of NBP in cases in which loss of billions was caused to national exchequer.These inquiries includes mega scandals involving former President National Bank of Pakistan, Syed Ali Raza, and others for misuse of around Rs2 billion in the name of Achievement Awards from Staff Welfare Fund.

Another inquiry is against irregularities allegedly committed by ex-President Ali Raza and other executives including Dr Mirza Abrar Baig in the name of streamlining the Bank operations in a multi-billion dollar scam of Core Banking Solutions.

The NAB also decided to open five other inquires against top officials of the government departments where billions of rupees were allegedly misappropriated. The first inquiry is against the management of Universal Services Fund (USF) and Ministry of Information Technology where some officials were accused of misuse of authority and illegal payment of Rs120.787 million to unregistered advertising agencies.

Second inquiry is against the officials of Wapda/Pesco and others for the allegedly illegal sale/purchase of electricity by the private sector.Third inquiry is against former IRO (Rana Sajjad Hussain) Burewala Regional Tax Office, Multan and Others in which the accused were alleged to have cause loss of millions of rupees in terms of illegal/fake and arbitrary demand of withholding tax and receiving bribe.

Fourth inquiry is against President Pakistan Boxing Federation (Doda Khan Bhutto) and others for embezzlement of millions of rupees.Fifth against the CEO and Directors of M/S T & N Pakistan Pvt. Ltd, Faisalabad, under section 31-D of NAO 1999 for willful loan default of Rs1.5 billion (Rs1,540 million).

In another case against the officials of CDA, the Board referred the case to its Prevention Division for conducting a comprehensive study. The officials were accused of misusing authority and embezzlement of funds in the civil work of the Arts and Crafts Village (A&CV) of CDA. The board, after detailed discussion, came to the conclusion that there is a need to study the relevant laws and regulations to come to a certain conclusion.

The Board also decided to close two inquires due to lack of incriminating evidence, first against Umar Khan Kundi, TMO, D I Khan where the official was accused of accumulating assets beyond known sources of income; and second against Abdul Hafeez Gichki, EDO (Revenue), Gwadar and others where the accused persons were accused of illegally constructing a wall on state land.

The board decided to transfer two cases to Anti-Corruption Establishment, Punjab under section 18-D of NAO 1999 and in this regard first case against Aleem Sherazi Patwari, Revenue Department Jaranwala Distt Faisalabad and others.

The accused persons were alleged of misuse of authority and illegal/fraudulent allotment of 8 lots of around 100-Kanal each at Chak No 67/GB, Tehsil Jaranwala Distt Faisalabad under Chief Minister’s Progrmme for allotment of land to landless peasants of Punjab. Second against Nasir Butt, Inspector Police Gujrat and others, who were accused of accumulation of assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

The Board approved to accept Voluntary Return (VR) of Rs38 million from officials of Education and Literacy Department in a case of purchase of stationery and other items in CIDA Project. The accused were accused of misappropriation in purchase of stationary items for Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) project. In another case of Willful Loan Default the Board approved a VR of Rs30.67 million from Zafar ul Hassan and Muhammad Sohail Ashraf

Directors of M/S Kamoke Textile Mills (Pvt) Ltd, Faisalabad.

The Board approved the recommendation of NAB (KP) where Khan Muhammad, SDO, Peshawar Development Authority, involved in corruption by constructing substandard retaining wall along Gandaw Khawar and other projects, was allowed to pay his liability within a period of one year as the accused was a flood affectee of 2010 and requested for time to pay his last instalment (Rs0.41 million).

The board approved waiver of Rs0.46 million in favour of the widow of another accused Aurangzeb Contractor as she made a request that she is unable to pay the last instalment due to her poor economic condition.