ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was held at NAB Headquarters in which NAB EBM authorised approval of filing of three corruption references against various accused persons including former Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for inflicting Rs 138.96 million to the national exchequer.

Chairman NAB Justice Javed Iqbal chaired the EBM. The EBM authorised conducting of seven inquiries against different accused persons including former federal minister Barjees Tahir and others.

According to details, the EBM accorded approval of filing of reference against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Sheikh Imran ul Haq, former Managing Director Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Yaqub Sattar, Deputy Managing Director PSO and others for inflicting Rs 138.96 million losses to national exchequer due to misuse of authority and illegal appointment of former MD, Deputy MD PSO in violation of rules and regulations.

The EBM accorded approval of filing another reference against Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha, former senior member Sindh Board of Revenue, Abdul Subhan Memon, former Secretary, Land Utilisation, Muhammad Salik, former District Officer, Revenue, Hyderabad, Gadda Hussain Abro, former Mukhtiarkar, Revenue, Imtiaz Solangi, former supervising Tapdar, Qadir Bakhsh and Muhammad Saleem on the allegations of illegal allotment of government land which inflicted Rs 120 million losses to the national exchequer.

The EBM inked its assent of filing yet another reference against Ghulam Mustafa Phal, former secretary Sindh, Land Utilisation, Qazi Jan Muhammad, former DC, Malir, Abdul Subhan, former secretary Sindh Land Utilisation, Ghulam Haider Chandio, former Assistant Commissioner, Muhammad Arif Kalvar, Assistant Commissioner, Bin Qasim Town, Malir, Tufail Ahmed, Zulfikar Ali Mangi, former Mukhtiarkar and Muhammad Ayub. They have been accused of allotting state land illegally, inflicting Rs 40 million losses to national exchequer.

Chairman NAB Justice Javed Iqbal said that eradication of corruption and recovery of looted money from corrupt elements in the top most property of NAB. NAB’s faith is corruption free Pakistan. NAB during the tenure of present management of NAB has recovered Rs. 178 billion from corrupt directly and indirectly. The performance of NAB has approached by Transparency International, World Economic Forum and PILDAT. He directed all DGs of NAB to conduct complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations within the prescribed time of 10 months. He further directed all investigation officers and prosecutors to appear with full preparation in the respected Accountability courts on the basis of solid evidence and pursue all NAB cases as per law. He said that NAB’s overall conviction ratio in the Accountability courts in about 70 percent. He said that NAB has arrested 45 accused persons in Modarba cases and their references are under trial in the respected Accountability courts.

The EBM accorded approval of conducting seven inquiries against Barjees Tahir, former federal minister, Saleem Goraya and others, Makhdoomzada Basit Ahmed Sultan,MNA, Muzaffargarh and others, Sardar Nasrullah Khan Dareeshak, MPA, Rajanpur and others, Khalid Sajjad Khokar, former MD, Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation and others, Kanal Garden Housing Scheme Yazman Road, owners of Bahawalpur and others, Pakistan Bio Energy, Company’s officials, officers and others, management, officers, officials of South Punjab Forest Company.

The EBM accorded approval of conducting two investigations against Pehlaj Mal, former special assistant to Sindh chief minister, owners of Altamash Medical Society, officers of Sindh Building Control Authority and others.

The EBM approved closing inquiry against Rehman Medical College, Peshawar and others owing to absence of evidence.