National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday decided to file two corruption references against former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, while accepted a plea bargain request of over Rs 2 billion in Balochistan mega corruption case. A senior official of the NAB said that the decision to this effect was taken in the NAB Executive Board Meeting (EBM) presided over by NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry.
The official said that the NAB decided to accept plea bargain request of over Rs 2 billion of Mushtaq Ahmad Raisani Secretary Finance Department, government of Balochistan, and Sohail Majeed Shah, contractor and front man of Khalid Langa, former Advisor to Chief Minister Balochistan for Finance.
The Bureau arrested Mushtaq Ahmad Raisani in May 2016 and recovered more than Rs 730 million from his residence. The NAB had recovered bags filled with local and foreign currencies from Raisani's residence. Raisani was accused of embezzling billions of rupees from local government development funds.
Following the arrest of Raisani, Advisor to Chief Minister on Finance, Khalid Langa resigned from his post. The NAB on May 25, 2016 arrested Langa outside the Balochistan High Court. According to the NAB official, the Bureau has decided to file two references against Raja Pervez Ashraf as well as authorised three investigations and six inquiries in this regard. He said that a corruption reference will be filed against former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and others (M/S Reshma Power Generation (Pvt) Ltd on charges of misuse of authority by misrepresentation of facts by the Ministry of Water and Power to Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) and Federal Cabinet which had incurred huge loss to the national exchequer.
Another corruption reference, he said, will be filed against Raja Pervez Ashraf and others for misuse of authority by signing the contract without the approval of Northern Power Generation Company Limited (NPGCL). He said the Bureau has authorised first investigation against Azeem Iqbal Siddiqui, former Managing Director (MD) Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), and others regarding misuse of authority in purchase of "PROGAS" assets without following the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and conducting detailed financial and technical analysis of M/S "PROGAS", which had incurred a loss of Rs 1.174 billion to the national exchequer.
The NAB official said that the EBM meeting has also approved an investigation against Sardar Hayat Muhammad Khan Mandokhel of Exceed (Pvt) Ltd and others for occupying government land situated in Saidpur village, Islamabad, which has caused huge loss of Rs 455.7444 million to the national exchequer.
He further said that Bureau also decided to start another investigation against Dr Ehsan Ali, Vice Chancellor Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, and others for alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of University funds allocated in the procurement of Information Technology (IT) equipments, which caused a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. He said out of six inquiries, the NAB has decided to launch an inquiry is against officers and officials of the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC) regarding re-hiring of certain officers after superannuation in the PIAC on contract basis, without prior approval of the competent authority and completion of codal formalities.
The NAB also authorised an inquiry against Dr Ehsan Ali, Vice Chancellor Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, and others. The accused persons were alleged for embezzlement and misappropriation of university funds allocated in procurement of various items/goods; thus, caused a huge loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.
The EBM decided to re-authorise inquiry against officers and officials of DAD Division, district Shaheed Benezirabad, and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority and embezzlement of government funds. This caused a loss of approximately Rs 1,860 million to the national exchequer.
The NAB also approved an inquiry against officers and officials of the National Bank of Pakistan regarding classified loan account of M/s Abdullah Saleh Al-Rejhi Estt. The EBM authorised another inquiry regarding illegal advances of Behrain Branch A-Classified loan Account of M/S Bargat Aviation Co. The official said that another inquiry was authorised regarding sale of Sukuk Bonds for US $16 million at NBP Behrain and New York City Branch.