Chairman NAB former Justice Javed Iqbal chaired a high-level meeting here at NAB headquarters to review overall progress in inquiries and investigations being conducted on the directions of the chairman after taking charge of the coveted office on October 11, 2017.
The chairman NAB since taking charge had authorized a total of 43 cases for onward prosecution in various NAB courts, says a press release issued here on Tuesday. The total approved cases included scrutiny of 22 cases, inquiry in 17 cases and authorized investigations in 4 cases. The chairman expressed dissatisfaction on the overall progress in 22 cases approved by him for filing in NAB courts.
He directed to take the cases to logical conclusion to inquiry, investigation and scrutiny of various complaints within the stipulated period. Cases would not be prolonged now as majority of countrymen have pinned hopes on NAB. He said now onwards the slogan 'Accountability for All' would be strictly adhered to as the merit based, transparent accountability would be visible to all and sundry. The NAB does not believe in revenge and does not have any affiliation with a political party or any individual.
He directed NAB officers to perform their duties on merit and investigate case as per law of the land that too sans any duress. He directed the officers to keep pace with their chairman. "Officers having lackadaisical approach have no place in NAB as we mean work only," he said.
The chairman reviewed the progress in investigations in 435 companies established by Pakistanis in Panama and British Virgin Island, including 15 companies owned by Zulfikar Bukhari, 34 offshore companies owned by Senator Usman Saifullah and family, 4 offshore companies of Aleem Khan in United Kingdom and companies established by Chaudhry Moonis Elahi and others.
The chairman expressed his indignation over slow progress by the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), State Bank of Pakistan and National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on providing record to NAB and directed them to expedite providing record of 435 offshore companies owned by various Pakistanis and complete the investigations as soon as possible.
The chairman took notice of not providing record of Multan Metro Project and 56 Public Limited Companies established by the Punjab government. The chairman took notice of non-provision of record of 4 companies out of a total of 56 companies. The record of 4 companies including clean water and Punjab Power Company has not yet been provided by DG Anti-Corruption Punjab despite possessing the record.
The chairman directed chief secretary to provide the required record so that investigations against 56 public limited companies should be completed. The working of any company should not be stopped due to NAB inquiry. The chairman NAB directed inquiry against Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Kamran Michael, Prime Minister Youth Business Program, for alleged misuse of authority, irregularities.
He ordered scrutiny of complaint against former chairman Railways Arif Azeem, alleged corruption in NTS, Paragon City Lahore, Eden Housing and Developers, Lahore and Rawalpindi Railways Employees Housing Society and directed the concern to take the investigations to their logical conclusion.
He said NAB receives from 80 to 90 percent complaints in irregularities in various private housing societies. He expressed his indignation that sufficient progress has not been made to provide remedy to poor people whose life savings have been looted by some housing societies. The chairman said he would himself review progress on the investigations by the relevant DGs over private housing societies fraud.
Taking notice of the shifting of government cardiac treatment machinery worth million of rupees by Dr Ajmal Hassan to his private clinic for personal use. The chairman NAB directed the concerned to conduct inquiry for fixing the responsibility of corruption and misuse of authority. He directed to inform chief secretary Punjab to take back official machinery from corrupt doctor.
The chairman NAB reviewed the progress in cases of former minister for Railways Haji Zafar Leghari, Secretary Health Sindh, Dr Fazalullah Pechhu, former IG Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali, Former DG Water Management, Agha Zafarullah Durrani, MNA Captain Safdar(Retd), Balochistan Minister Muhammad Khan Shahwani, DG Monitoring Karachi Imdad Memon, former MNA Syed Nasir Ali Shah, former minister Balochistan, Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, Obaidullah January Babat, former IG Balochistan Dr Mujeebur Rehman, former special assistant Sindh CM Zilah Mil, former MPAs Ahmed Hussein Dahar, Jawad Kamran Khar, Sardar Ali Dareshik, Student Learning Program Muzaffargarh, officers of Ministry of National Health Services and Regulations.
The chairman NAB expressed his indignation over slow progress on the abovementioned cases and directed to complete inquiries within stipulated period. The chairman also reviewed progressed in cases including officers of PIA, KDA, Officers Housing Society of KPT, Abdullah Yousaf and directed to complete the investigations, inquiries within stipulated period.-PR