NAB orders for investigation related to corruption & illegal appointments in OGDCL

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal ordered on Tuesday for investigation  on the complaint lodged by a former president of the employees association, who was also allegedly involved in a multi million-rupee fraud. It is suspected that corruption and illegal appointments in the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) are dishonored in terms of merit.

OGDC Employees Union Association former president Chaudhry Muhammad Akram had filed a complaint with the anti-corruption watchdog after he was found guilty of embezzle funds and was directed to repay Rs10 million.

Since Akram was a trustee of the trust fund, he drew Rs50 million to pay workers and misappropriated some of the funds. The matter was taken up by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources.

NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal, asked all the DGs of NAB in their individual regions for strict acquiescence in this regard, also requested all the officers of NAB to work within their domain to ensure rule of law for a better outcome without any fright or support.

Since these corruption and illegal appointments complaints are related to contravention of merit and law, Director General NAB Rawalpindi is assigned by NAB chairman to conduct complete complaint verification.

Furthermore, DG NAB Rawalpindi is ordered to identify the guilty who are implicated in corruption and illegal appointments, so that aggressive legal actions can be taken against them.

According to Chairman NAB, OGDCL is the national asset and corruption and illegal appoints in violation of the merit and law will not be tolerated.

According to sources, federal and provincial ministers were purportedly using NAB officers to manipulate the ongoing cases of corruption against them.

Since NAB has taken investigation action against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, federal and provincial ministers and some influential bureaucrats, various elite class are at high hopes after clearing all proofs behind their corruption related matters in order to save themselves from arrest or strict action by NAB against them.

The anti-graft watchdog (NAB) has started an investigation against 435 Pakistani nationals, as they registered and own offshore companies at Panama and the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Currently, NAB is prosecuting 1138 cases worth about Rs900 billion.

Similarly, the bureau (NAB) has been probing the wealth of the Sharif family and others including ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Kulsoom Nawaz. The bureau (NAB) has also been probing Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister Anusha Rehman, and Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique in the Ashiyana Housing Scheme scam.