Khusro Bakhtiyar. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday deferred a decision to turn an inquiry against the Federal Planning Minister Khusro Bakhtiar into an investigation as it approved to file a reference against the Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and others.



NAB made these decisions in its executive board meeting (EBM), chaired by NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal. The meeting gave approval to conduct 12 inquiries and ordered to file three corruption references. It also decided to close an inquiry for lack of evidence.



The meeting approved to file a reference against Agha Siraj Durrani and others for allegedly making illegal assets by abusing authority and thus causing Rs600m losses to exchequer.



The EBM also approved filing corruption reference against the Lok Virsa’s former executive director Mazharul Islam for allegedly awarding contract to favourites and inflicting Rs30.13 million losses.



It gave the nod to filing another corruption reference against Fata former director education Fazal Mannan and others for hiring ghost teachers and inflicting a loss of Rs110.73 million. It also ordered investigation against the Unico Private Limited Chief Executive Officer Atif Kamran and others.



The EBM ordered inquires against former minister for housing and works Akram Khan Durrani; former provincial minister Sher Azam Wazir and others; the Sindh Assembly former member Ali Ghulam Nizamani, member Sindh Assembly Saeed Khan Nizamani, Malir Development Authority former DG Muhammad Sohail and Asmatullah, Xen; MES, Sialkot Cantt, Almoiz Industries Limited, MM Road, Tehsil Paplan, District Mianawali and others; officers/ officials of Karachi Port Trust; Health Department Government of Sindh, Members Procurement Committee, Programme Manager Hepatitis Prevention and Control Programme Sindh and others; officers/officials of Gomal University Dera Ismael Khan; Management of Food Department Khuzdar; Ram Chand, Chief Engineer, Sukkur; Abdul Wahab, Sehato, Executive Engineer and others; Public Health Engineering Division, Larkana, Iqbal Sheikh, government Contractor and others; Management of Messers Chinyon Builders, Private Builders and others.



The EBM closed inquiries against Hafiz Abdul Karim, former minister for communication; Usman Abdul Karim, Anas Abdul Karim, Dr Najeeb Haider and others including former MPA Ghulam Qadir Palejo and others; Port Qasim Authority former managing director Abdul Sattar Dero and others; officials of Communication and Works Department, MechaTech and others due to absence of evidence.



The EBM also approved closing investigation against owners of Messers AM Construction Company and others due to absence of evidence. The EBM approved referring the inquiry against management/ officials and others of Sargodha Capital Market Management to Punjab chief secretary and another inquiry against Kesco Chief Executive Officer Rehmattullah Baloch and others to relevant department.



Speaking on the occasion, NAB chairman Javed Iqbal said taking mega corruption cases to logical conclusion is his top priority.



"NAB is pursuing ‘Accountability for All Policy’ vigorously. All resources are being utilised to take back the looted money from the plunderers. Corruption is root cause of all ills, eliminating which is the collective responsibility."



He directed NAB director generals not to spare any corrupt, proclaimed offenders for concluding their cases as per law.



WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP