ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday decided to hold an inquiry against officials of the Fazaia Housing Scheme (FHS), Karachi, and Sindh’s Board of Revenue and Land Utilisation Department to investigate alleged irregularities in a land deal.

The decision to initiate inquiry against the officials of the FHS and the provincial land and revenue departments was taken at a meeting of NAB’s executive board that was chaired by its chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal.

The officials of Sindh’s land and revenue departments have been accused of providing land illegally to the FHS management.

In a separate case, NAB arrested a former secretary of the information technology ministry, Farooq Awan, for allegedly misusing authority and giving illegal benefits to a private advertisement company.

The NAB’s executive board approved filing of a reference against Khalid Mehmood Chadda of the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation for misusing powers and illegally buying land measuring 17 kanals and 16 marlas.

The board also approved an inquiry against officials of the Balochistan government for purchasing an MI-17 helicopter on exorbitant rates, thus causing heavy loss to the national exchequer.

The meeting gave a go-ahead to NAB investigators to initiate an inquiry against a former MPA, Sardar Atif Khan Mazari, for allegedly grabbing state land.

The NAB board also approved an inquiry against former deputy inspector general of Larkana police, Sain Rakhu Mirani, for having assets worth more than his known sources of income.

The meeting decided that a former inspector general of the Frontier Const­abulary, retired Lt Gen Obaid Ullah Khan, would be facing an inquiry because of a suspicious bank transaction.

Retired Brig Asad Shahzad was accused of making a suspicious bank transaction and would also be investigated by NAB.

The meeting approved a proposal for an investigation against officials of Sindh’s health department and owner of a private company, Almid Solutions, for alleged irregularities in purchase of medical equipment. The deal allegedly caused a loss of Rs377 million to the national exchequer.

An investigation was also approved against Dr Ahsan Ali, vice chancellor of the Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, and other officials for irregularities in purchase of 161 vehicles and misappropriation in provision of petrol to the university’s vehicles.

The board meeting decided that officials of Punjab’s irrigation department would be investigated for alleged irregularities in award of contract for construction of the Ghabeer dam near Chakwal.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2018