ISLAMABAD: After amendments in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, the accountability watchdog has been closing corruption inquiries and now it has granted approval to close inquiries against Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Governor Punjab Mian Balighur Rehman in two cases.
According to sources, the NAB has closed inquiries against incumbent premier and Governor Punjab after finding no proof of corruption during a three years long investigation.
Sources said that Chairman NAB Aftab Sultan has approved closure of the inquiries on finding recommendations from the NAB Executive Board. They said that NAB has initiated inquiries in 2019 for transfer of 14 thousand and 400 Kanals of state lands.
The sources said the NAB Multan had earlier summoned former Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif and forwarded a questionnaire to him. They said NAB chairman has referred the matter to Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) as transfer of state land will be investigated by the Punjab Revenue Authority due to amendments in NAB laws.
The NAB has been closing corruption inquiries after amendments in NAB laws, said the sources and added that NAB has also approved to close inquiry against Sardar Muhammad Jaffar Leghari, Member National Assembly (MNA), Dera Ghazi Khan and others.
Sharing details, the sources said that Director General NAB Multan has presented the matter of inquiry against Sardar Jaffar Khan Leghari and apprised that comparison of inflow and outflow of money of Sardar Jaffar Khan Leghari and his family members reflected that accumulation of assets and expenditures were within their known sources of income.
And, in light of this, the Executive Board recommended closure of inquiry, said sources. They added that on the recommendations of the Executive Board, the Chairman approved closure of inquiry.
It is also learnt from sources that DG (Operations) has provided details of the inquiry against officers/officials of Cholistan Development Authority (CDA), former CM Shehbaz Sharif, former MNA Blaigh ur Rehman, Ch. Umar Mehmood Advocate and others and informed the Executive Board that the case was earlier presented in the Executive Board Meeting (EBM) dated 04-06-2021 wherein it was directed that the matter might be pended till decision of the honourable Lahore High Court (LHC).
Further, it was apprised by DG NAB Multan that no element of criminality was unearthed. Moreover, Writ Petition No. 8904/2019 stands disposed off by LHC, Bahawalpur bench vide order dated 15-03-2022. And, in view of the above, the Executive Board recommended that the matter might be closed at NAB’s end and be referred to SMBR, Punjab.
Upon this, the NAB chairman approved the recommendations of the Executive Board. Similarly, the Executive Board took up the inquiry against officers/officials of Excise & Taxation Department Punjab, Management of United Ethanol Industries Sadiqabad, district Rahim Yar Khan and others. And, DG NAB Multan apprised that taxation matter had been excluded from jurisdiction of NAB as per new amendment.
Hence, recommended closure of inquiry at NAB’s end and suggested to refer the matter to federal board of revenue (FBR) being excise duty matter for necessary action as deemed appropriate. The Executive Board endorsed the viewpoint of DG NAB Multan. And, on the recommendations of the Executive Board, the NAB chairman approved closure of the inquiry and directed to refer the matter to FBR.
