ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday launched a fresh corruption inquiry against a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former finance minister Ishaq Dar. An official said that the decision was taken at a NAB's Executive Board Meeting (EBM) presided over by bureau's Chairman former Justice Javed Iqbal.

The EBM decided to file two corruption references in the accountability courts, approved seven corruption inquires including against former finance minister Dar, and three investigations.

The Accountability Court had already declared Dar as a proclaimed offender for not appearing before it despite repeated summons in assets beyond means case on December 11, 2017. Dar is currently in the UK.

He said that the bureau had also launched corruption inquiries against former chief minister Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah, Syed Talat Mehmood, chief executive officer (CEO) Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) and others, officers and officials of the Ministry of Religious affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Malik Tanveer Awan, former member of the provincial assembly (MPA) Punjab, and others, Nimer Tanveer, Rahila Asghar, Asghar Nawaz, management of the M/s Geo Masters (Private) Limited, and M/s Geo Master International Limited.

He said that the bureau also approved filing of corruption reference against Asadullah Faiz, former director estate management Capital Development Authority (CDA), Shahid Bukhari, former deputy director general CDA's estate management, Muhammad Arshad DAO estate management CDA, Maqbol Ahmed, former accounts officer estate management CDA, and others.

The accused have allegedly illegally allotted plots designated for clinic for commercial purposes, which incurred loses of Rs 91.964 million to the national exchequer.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020