The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Thursday started corruption investigations against former Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and former Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, while an inquiry has been initiated against former Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar. A senior official of the NAB said that the Bureau approved three investigations against Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) President Shujaat Hussain, Provincial Assembly Speaker Pervez Elahi and two corruption inquiries against Pakistan Peoples Party leader Khar and former MNA Ghulam Mustafa Khar in its Executive Board Meeting (EBM), which was presided over by Chairman NAB Justice Javed Iqbal (retd).
He said the Bureau also authorised an inquiry against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board Muhammad Siddiq-ul-Farooq and former Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, Barrister Abid Waheed Sheikh. He said the anti-graft body in its EMB meeting authorised filing of three corruption references, seven investigations and 13 inquiries against different high-profile figures allegedly involved in corruption.
The official said that the NAB also decided to file corruption reference against former Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Kamran Lashari, former Member Planning and Development CDA Nusrat Ullah, former Director Urban Planning CDA Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu, former Director Land Survey Division CDA Muneer Jilani, Managing Director M/S Diplomatic Shuttle and Transport Service Muhammad Hussain and others over alleged corrupt practices. The suspects are accused of misuse of their authority and illegally allotting contract and licence of Diplomatic Shuttle and Transport Service which incurred loses of Rs 408.32 million to national kitty, he added.
He said that the EBM also authorised to file a corruption reference against Aurang Zeb, former secretary Local Government Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Asghar Khan, former deputy project director CDWA, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a private company and others. The accused persons are accused of committing embezzlement of funds allocated for project of Clean Drinking Water for All (CDWA) which incurred loses of Rs 195.042 million, he said, adding that Bureau also decided to file reference against Ashaq Ali, former XEN Hala Division, Department of Irrigation, and others for alleged misusing authority and committing embezzlement in the government fund.
The official said that out of seven investigations, the Bureau launched investigations against M/s TM Sugar Mills Karachi and other KPT officers, cooperative housing society management and others including Noor Muhammad Laghari, former Secretary Special Education, Muhammad Ali, Principal Secretary Special Education, and officers and officials of the Balochistan Development Authority.