ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday approved filing of three corruption references, including a reference against former chairman of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) vice admiral (retd) Ahmed Hayat, and others for allegedly allotting the state land illegally, thus causing Rs8.18 billion losses to the national kitty.

The meeting of the NAB Board was held with its Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal in the chair here on Wednesday. NAB clarified that the details of the decisions taken in the Executive Board meeting were shared with the people as per routine and sharing these decisions were not aimed at hurting self-respect of anyone and all inquiries and investigations were being authorised on the basis of allegations which were not final.

The NAB spokesman said it decides about proceedings ahead on such cases after ascertaining the veracity of accusations by hearing the complainants and accused persons as per law. Besides filing a corruption reference against the former KPT chairman, the Executive Board meeting also decided to file two other corruption references, the first against Dr Ehsan Ali, former Vice Chancellor, Khan Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan and others.

They have been accused of misappropriating the funds allocated for purchase of vehicles and fuel and this inflicted Rs23.48 million losses to national exchequer. The NAB Board authorised the third reference against Ayaz Ahmed, Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department, East Division, Khairpur, and others.

They have been accused of misappropriating government funds in various schemes and awarding contracts to favourites inflicting Rs89.3million losses to the national kitty.

The EBM approved conducting investigations against Malik Naveed Khan, former IGFC/former IG, Police where inquiries were also approved against officers/officials of Mian Rashid Shaheed Memorial Hospital, Pabbi, Nowshera, and others.

Meanwhile, NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal has said that the Bureau is pursuing the policy of accountability for all. “NAB considers eradication of corruption as its foremost responsibility and making tireless efforts to rid the country from the menace of corruption,” he said.

Outright rejecting the allegations of lacking capacity to conduct investigations of white collar cases, the NAB chairman said that taking white collar corruption cases to logical conclusion was its priority. “The Bureau has already filed 1,210 mega-corruption references involving over Rs900 billion corruption in various accountability courts, which are under-trial right now,” he said. Furthermore, he said NAB had filed 590 corruption references to different accountability courts in the last 13 months which are also under trial in respected accountability courts.