ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal issued directives on Thursday to conduct verification of complaints against Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and others for their alleged lavish expenditure on purchasing 4,500 horse power locomotives, track maintenance machines and leasing out precious railway land in Lahore to favourites at throw-away prices in violation of rules.

The chairman also ordered verification of a complaint against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and Assembly’s Secretary Ghulam Mohammad Umer Farooq for corruption in the construction of the new building of the assembly.

He directed the Karachi NAB director general to verify another complaint against Mr Durrani for having assets beyond his known source of income.

Charges against two include lavish expenditure on purchasing of locomotives and corruption in construction of Sindh assembly building

NAB has also filed a reference in an accountability court of Karachi against former director general of the Sindh Building Control Authority Manzoor Qadir. Legal proceedings are continuing in the reference.

The NAB chairman has sought a report on the latest progress in the two inquiries and two investigations conducted against Manzoor Qadir.

A letter will also be written to Interpol to bring back Manzoor Qadir from abroad.

Meanwhile, a NAB spokesman said a reference has been filed against former secretary land utilisation and member Revenue Board Sindh Shah Zar Shamoon in a case of alleged illegal allotment of 530 acres of land. The proceedings of the reference are under way as per law in an accountability court in Karachi.

The chairman has sought a report on latest progress in one investigation and four inquiries being conducted against Shah Zar Shamoon.

The bureau has decided to bring back Shah Zar Shamoon to the country through Interpol.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2018