ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau has summoned former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and his cousin ex-Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on November 6 (Monday) in a case of misuse of authority and having assets beyond known sources of income, The Nation has learnt reliably.

Well-placed sources revealed the Lahore NAB had also summoned the wife of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on November 2 and his children on November 6 in the ongoing corruption reference against him.

They said the Lahore NAB had sent proformas to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi to get their assets’ details.

The corruption case against the Chaudhry brothers is also the part of NAB 179 mega corruption cases which the bureau had submitted in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2015.

According to the latest status of this list, the case against the PML-Q leadership has been at the stage of investigation. The NAB had given the date of completing this case on September 30, 2017, but the investigation could not be completed within the given time frame and is still under process.

The sources said Rs 2.428 billion were involved in the corruption case against ex-prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and ex-Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

The case against the Chaudhrys of Gujrat was also framed in 2000 before their joining the then military dictator, Pervez Musharraf.

Talking to The Nation, a senior NAB official confirmed the bureau had directed the Chaudhrys of Gujrat to appear for recording their statement in the corruption case. He claimed the Lahore NAB had also directed the officials of the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan to appear before the investigation team on November 6 in the case of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. He said the Lahore NAB had also directed the finance minister’s wife on November 2 and his children on November 6.

Earlier, the NAB Lahore wrote a letter to the Exchange Commission of Pakistan on August 15, stating that in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan of July 28, the NAB Lahore was going to prepare and file a reference against the accused persons on the allegations of accumulation of wealth beyond the known sources of income.

In the letter, the NAB had asked the Exchange Commission of Pakistan to provide the details of seven companies – Hajveri Holdings (Pvt) Limited, CNG Pakistan Limited, Spencer Distribution Limited, HDS Securities, Gulf Insurance Company (Pvt) Limited, Spencer Pharmacy (Pvt) Limited and Hajveri Modarba Management Company (Pvt) Limited.

It had also asked the Exchange Commission of Pakistan to carry out general search of these companies being owned or run by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Tabassum Ishaq Dar, wife of Ishaq Dar, Ali Mustafa Dar, son of Dar, Asma Ali Dar, wife of Ali Mustafa Dar and Mujtaba Husnain Dar, son of Dar.

The NAB said the Exchange Commission of Pakistan would make available a deputy director-level officer to attend the NAB-combined investigation team.

The bureau had also sought the bank account details of Ishaq Dar, his family members and National Bank of Pakistan President Saeed Ahmed till August 25 from the State Bank of Pakistan in the same case.

Last week NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal ordered the authorities to freeze properties and assets of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the case of accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income.

NAB SEEKS USAID SUPPORT FOR CAPACITY BUILDING

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal has sought USAID assistance in helping bureau’s investigators and prosecutors develop their capacity and skills on modern lines.

He said this while talking to a USAID delegation headed by its Inspector General Ann Calvaresi Barr. The delegation thanked the NAB for providing assistance in the Rafi Peer Theatre case.

The NAB officers and prosecutors are being trained, keeping in view modern requirements and in this regard, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the National Crime Agency of the UK and the Australian Federal Police are assisting the bureau.

The bureau has already established its forensic laboratory to conduct inquiries and investigations on scientific and modern lines, the NAB chief said.

He said that white-collar crime, money-laundering, and mega corruption cases were being probed on merit and in a transparent manner. He said that all resources would be utilized to finalize cases in 10 months.