NAB decides to investigate two former Balochistan chief ministers

The National Accountability Bureau's executive board has given the go-ahead to investigate former Balochistan chief ministers Dr Abdul Maalik and Sanaullah Zehri.

On Tuesday, the board ordered inquiries against several politicians and approved the filing of a reference against PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif's son-in-law Imran Ali Yousuf.

Inquiries were ordered against PML-N MNAs Mudassar Qayyum Nehra and his brother Azhar Qayyum Nehra, former MPA Mehr Aijaz Ahmed Machlana, PML-N MPA Saiful Malook, former chairperson Railways Board Arif Azeem and former home secretary of Balochistan Akbar Durrani.

The approvals were given in a meeting held at the NAB Headquarters on Tuesday with Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal as the chair.

Azeem has been accused of purchasing locomotives on a single tender from China in violation of PEPRA rules. Former home secretary Balochistan Akbar Durrani has been accused of not using discretionary funds properly.

The reference filed against Imran Ali Yousuf and others is over the misuse of government funds for personal gains, which led to a loss of Rs499.2 million to the national exchequer.

The board also authorised the filing of a corruption reference against Sarwar Javed, former member Board of Revenue, Quetta, Shahbaz Khan Mandokhel and former senior member Board of Revenue for illegally allotting state land to Dilshad Akhtar, causing Rs6 crore and 48lakh losses to the national exchequer.

The forum also approved conducting 15 inquiries against an MPA from Punjab, Saiful Malook Khokhar, former chief ministers Dr Abdul Malik and Sanaullah Zerhi, former home secretary Akbar Durrani Punjab Public Limited Companies Chief Executives Rahim Ziaratwal and others.

The board has asked the FBR to initiate an inquiry against Akhtar Hussain, Sabina Semab, Shahnaz Qamar, Maqsood Ahmed, Ahsan Sarwar Butt and others.

Justice (retd) Iqbal said NAB’s wants a corruption-free Pakistan by adopting accountability for all.

“All resources are being utilized to take mega corruption cases to logical conclusion on priority as per law,” he said, adding that NAB has directly or indirectly deposited a record Rs714 billion to the national exchequer, following the policy of accountability for all.