NAB Karachi to file reference against Hafeez Shaikh, 2 former FBR chairmen

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Regional Board, Karachi on Monday recommended to file a reference against former finance minister and two former chairmen of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on the charges of misuse of authority, causing a loss of over $11 million to the national exchequer.

The Regional Board meeting, held here with NAB Karachi director general Dr Najaf Quli Mirza in the chair at the NAB Karachi, also recommended to the NAB chairman to file a reference against former higher officers of the Land Utilisation Department, Sindh Board of Revenue, including former member Ghulam Mustafa Phul, while inquires, investigations and various other operational matters were discussed in the meeting.

According to a statement, the board recommended to the competent authority to file references against Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, former minister of finance, two former chairmen of the FBR, Abdullah Yousaf and Salman Siddique, and other FBR officers and officials.

Dr Sheikh was alleged of involvement in misuse of authority as the finance minister in the former PPP government; thereby, causing a loss to the government exchequer worth $11.125 million.

The Regional Board also recommended filing reference against accused Ghulam Mustafa Phul, ex-member of the Land Utilisation Department, Asif Memon, ex-deputy commissioner/EDO and others for their alleged involvement and misuse of authority in illegal allotment of precious government land at very nominal rates; thereby, causing loss to the national exchequer worth millions of rupees.

The board accepted the plea bargain application of accused Nazeer Ahmed for Rs1.083 million in an investigation against officers and officials of the Revenue Department, Thana Bola Khan, District Jamshoro and others and recommended for approval of the honourable accountability court, Hyderabad.

The NAB spokesperson also said that the Reference No 1/2019/H in instant matter was already filed and under trial at the accountability court on the allegations of the misuse of authority and fake and fabricated revenue record and documents of 731-28 acres of valuable government land.

The board also authorised an inquiry against accused Fayyaz Solangi, ex-deputy commissioner, District West Karachi and others alleging that the accused being DC West Karachi was involved in various corruption and corrupt practices.

It also authorised an inquiry against the management of Black Stone Developers and others on the complaints of more than 100 victims. The accused persons are involved in cheating the public at large by not handing over plots to the allottees of the project, namely Petal Avenue housing project, Scheme-33, Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi. The total amount involved in the case comes to the tune of millions of rupees.

Also Read

World Bank and IMF support CBDCs at G20

The IMF, the World Bank, and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS)...