Issuance of fake passports: NAB reference against official of Pakistani mission in US

The Executive Board of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approved reference against an official of the Consulate of Pakistan, Houston, USA, for issuing forged and fake passports.
According to details, accused Muhammad Naeem was working as assistant in the Consulate of Pakistan Houston USA and was authorised to sign passports, issued to Pakistani applicants in case of theft, loss or for renewal purposes.
The board held meeting here on Thursday with NAB Chairman Nawid Ahsan in the chair. The meeting was attended by NAB Prosecutor General, Director General, Awareness and Prevention, acting Director General, Financial Crimes and Investigation Wing, Director General, Operations, Deputy Prosecutor General Accountability.
On receipt of written complaint dated March 20, 2008 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an inquiry was launched against Muhammad Naeem for involvement in unlawful issuance of Pakistani passports by misusing his authority. The inquiry was later converted into investigation.
Accused Muhammad Naeem was responsible for receipt of application forms along with the money orders for the specified amount according to the type of passport, like renewal, urgent passport and lost passports from the individuals, approaching the Consulate for preparation of passports.
The investigation revealed that the accused abused his authority and issued fake passports to a large number of persons in violation of the rules. The accused at the behest of Muhammad Imran Lalpuri, a Pakistani Travel Agent, issued 300 passports, violating all the instructions, and after accepting fake and incomplete documents. The accused was arrested on March 5, 2008.
The evidence of involvement of Consulate General Ghulam Rasool Baloch, Muhammad Imran Lalpuri and others, who obtained passports on the basis of false documents, is being collected. The board approved another reference against former Chairman of Orient Industrial Society Limited (OICSL) Zia Rashid and 11 others. According to the investigation, the accused, in connivance with one another, dishonestly and fraudulently deceived public at large and looted innocent persons by misappropriating Rs 42.614 million being owned by the members of the OICSL.
All the accused committed offence of criminal breach of trust by dishonestly misappropriating the amount of depositors, deceitfully and fraudulently, causing loss to a co-operative society and disappearance of record and evidences. The board closed investigation against Deputy Director of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Muhammad Saleem Shaikh due to lack of prosecutable evidence. The Executive Board also reviewed progress on the decisions taken during previously held meetings.