NAB orders inquiry into Punjab minister’s role in Rs20bn scam
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to hold an inquiry into alleged involvement of Rana Mashhood, the Punjab Minister for Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, in a Rs20 billion scam related to a youth festival held last year.
The decision was taken in a meeting of the bureau’s executive board on Thursday, according to the NAB spokesman. The meeting, presided over by NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, also approved two fresh investigations against former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who is already facing eight corruption references.
Take a look: Punjab minister Rana Mashhood faces NAB investigation
It has been learnt that the NAB has decided to hold an inquiry into allegations of ‘corruption, corrupt practices and misuse of authority’ against Rana Mashhood and other accused after it found something credible in a complaint lodged against the minister.
The provincial chapter of the NAB has confiscated record of the Punjab Sports Board related to the youth festival, according to sources.
Record of Punjab Sports Board related to the youth festival confiscated
Earlier, the NAB conducted an inquiry into a video scandal in which Rana Mashhood was allegedly shown negotiating with Asim Malik, the owner of a visa consultancy firm, Future Concern, about payment of money for the PML-N funds.
The minister wrote a letter to the NAB chairman, refuting allegations against him and saying that the director general of the bureau’s Punjab chapter had tarnished his and his family’s reputation by levelling false allegations through media twice. He asked the NAB chairman to take action against the director general.
But the NAB refuted Rana Mashhood’s allegations that unjustified action was being taken against him on corruption charges.
RAJA PERVEZ ASHRAF: Among the two fresh investigations to be conducted against the former prime minister, one pertains to the award of a contract to M/s Reshma Power Generation to install a 220 megawatt rental power plant along Manga-Raiwind Road.
Mr Ashraf, then federal minister for water and power, Shahid Rafi, a former secretary of the department, and others have been accused of causing a loss of Rs892.6 million to the national exchequer through misuse of authority.
The second investigation will be conducted against Mr Ashraf, Mr Rafi, Fazal Ahmad Khan, a former managing director of the Pakistan Electric Power Company, Rafiq Butt, a former chief executive officer of the Northern Power Generation Company, and Ejaz Babar, a former finance director of the organisation.
They have been accused of corruption, corrupt practices and misuse of authority in the award of a contract to M/s Young Gen Power to install a 150MW rental power plant along Satiyana Road in Faisalabad, causing a loss of Rs435.7 million to the kitty.
The NAB board also approved an investigation against Abdul Wali Khan University’s Vice Chancellor Dr Ihsan Ali, former registrar Professor Sher Ali Khan, former director of planning and development Dr Mohammad Amin, former controller of examination Pir Abdul Jabbar and other officials. They have been accused of appointing 700 people in teaching and non-teaching cadres without procedural formalities.
Another investigation was approved against officials of the Board of Revenue and the land utilisation department of Sindh over the “fake allotment” of a six-acre amenity plot in Deh Dih, Karachi, by tempering with documents and changing the plot’s status from residential to industrial without approval of the chief minister.
The NAB board also approved an inquiry against officials of the Capital Development Authority over sale of commercial plots without open auction and procedural formalities.
Another inquiry was approved against officials of the National Highway Authority over corruption of Rs400 million allegedly committed in the Okara bypass project.
The meeting also approved a plea bargain request of Syed Masoom Shah, special assistant to a former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in a case pertaining to Rs259 million assets beyond known sources of his income.
Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2015