ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has saved its own Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry in an inquiry into the Rs6 billion National Insurance Company (NICL) scam, but has ordered a formal investigation against former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The bureau also ordered investigation against former law minister Babar Awan in a case regarding the Nandipur and Chichoki Mallian power projects.

According to sources, the NAB chief was exonerated on Monday by the bureau’s executive board at a meeting presided over by acting Chairman retired Rear Admiral Saeed Ahmed Sargana.

The NAB chairman, who is on leave, may join his office after this decision.

However, a press release issued after the meting did not mention that the chairman had been cleared of the charges.

NAB’s spokesman Ramzan Sajid said: “An investigation has been ordered against those identified in the inquiry who allegedly misused their authority to hamper the investigation into the NICL case.”

The NAB chairman was facing the charge of having been involved, in his capacity as the commerce secretary, in the appointment of a former NICL chairman and of having ordered, after becoming the interior secretary, the removal of former additional director general of Federal Investigation Agency Zafar Qureshi from the investigation.

In a verdict issued on Nov 22, the Supreme Court had asked NAB to investigate its own chairman and other accused in the case.

The NAB chief was appointed on Oct 10 after a constitutional process but his appointment was challenged in the Supreme Court by the PTI and he went on a long leave when the court ordered the investigation against him.

The spokesman said the board had upgraded a separate inquiry against people accused of misusing authority in appointment of former NICL chairman Ayaz Khan Niazi, including former prime minister Gilani and former establishment secretary Abdul Rauf Chaudhry who is now serving as the Federal Tax Ombudsman.

Mr Gilani joined the investigation by sending his lawyer before NAB investigators last week.

The NAB board also authorised an inquiry against former law minister Awan and officials of the ministries of law and justice, finance and water and power on allegations of having delayed the Nandipur and Chichoki Mallian power projects, causing a loss of Rs113 billion to the national exchequer.

The board ordered an investigation into a Rs1.23bn scam in the Pakistan Steel Mills against its former chairman Mueen Aftab Sheikh, former director (commercial) Sameen Asghar, former managing director Rasool Bux Phulpoto and others.