Home Latest News NAB to File Reference against Former Finance Minister Shaikh

NAB to File Reference against Former Finance Minister Shaikh

by Staff Report

File photo of Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. Farooq Naeem—AFP

Karachi regional board of anti-graft watchdog also approves filing references against former FBR officials over alleged misuse of authority

The Karachi Regional Board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday recommended filing a reference against former finance minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and two former chairmen of the Federal Board of Revenue over allegedly misusing their authority and causing over $11 million in losses to the treasury.

According to a press release, the board recommended that references should be filed against Shaikh, former chairmen Abdullah Yousaf and Salman Siddique, and other FBR officials involved in the alleged misuse of authority. It alleged that Shaikh—during his tenure as finance minister from 2010-2013 with the PPP—had cost the government exchequer $11.125 million.

The statement also noted that the regional board had recommended that the NAB chairman file a reference against former officers of Sindh’s land utilization department, including bureaucrat Ghulam Mustafa Phul.

According to the press release, Phul is accused of misusing authority—along with former deputy commissioner Asif Memon—in the illegal allotment of government land at nominal rates, costing the exchequer millions of rupees.

The board meeting also accepted the plea bargain application of accused Nazeer Ahmed for Rs. 1.083 million against an investigation involving officials of the revenue department in Jamshoro’s Thana Bola Khan, and recommended it for approval of the Accountability Court Hyderabad. It authorized an inquiry against accused Fayyaz Solangi, the former deputy commissioner of District West Karachi, and others over their being involved in alleged corruption.

The board, per the statement, also authorized an inquiry against the management of M/s Black Stone Developers and others on the complaints of over 100 people. The accused are alleged to have cheated the public by refusing to hand over plots against allotments of the Petal Avenue Housing Project in Karachi.

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