ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau has tightened noose around ruling party legislator Azhar Qayum Nahra over corruption allegations, The Nation has learnt.

Nahra will be the third lawmaker of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) who is under radar of anti-corruption watchdog from Gujranwala division. Earlier, the Bureau has launched investigations against two MPs from Sialkot district, including Member National Assembly Syed Iftikhar-ul- Hassan Shah and Member Punjab Assembly Chaudhary Ikram.

The NAB sources told The Nation that the Lahore Bureau received complaint against Nahra but it was sent to EBM for approval. The last Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of NAB had authorised complaint verification against MNA Azhar Qayum Nahra, his elder brother ex-MNA Mudassir Qayum Nahra and others. All accused persons were alleged for corruption having assets beyond known sources of income.

Earlier, an election tribunal of the Lahore High Court disqualified Muddassar Qayum Nahra, ex-MNA over fake graduation degree on June 21, 2010 and ordered by-election in the constituency.

Mudassar had defeated the PML-Q candidate in NA-100 Gujranwala with a huge margin. He won the election as an independent candidate but later joined the PML-N. His opponent requested the court to disqualify Nahra under Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution. Muddasar Nahra had also one year in jail in same fake degree case.

The PML-N had awarded ticket to his brother Azhar Qayyum Nahra for the same seat in the 2013 general elections and he defeated former PPP MNA Tassadaq Masood and other aspirants.

Sources said that the cases of two other ruling party MPs who belonged to Gujranwala Division under investigation in NAB for last several months but it did not take action against them so far. They said that Nahra’s case was addition in the list of PML-N parliamentarians. The case of senior member Punjab cabinet of Rana Mashood is also pending with Lahore NAB Lahore. Talking to The Nation Azhar Qayum Nahra said that he had information in this regard but nobody contacted him officially so far. He said he belongs to a well known business family with a clear background. He will be ready to fully cooperate with NAB if called for investigation.