ISLAMABAD - National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a corruption reference against former premiers Nawaz Sharif and Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the Toshakhan corruption case related to fake bank accounts scam.
The reference also named Omni Group CEO Khawaja Anwar Majid and his son Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid.
The reference says Gilani allowed the retention of vehicles gifted to Nawaz and Zardari by different foreign states and dignitaries by relaxing procedures relating to submission of gifts in the Toshakhana.
According to the copy of the reference available with The Nation, in pursuance to the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan dated 07-01-2019, the NAB delegated the powers u/s 34 of NAO, 1999 to the Director General NAB Rawalpindi to authorize inquiries / investigations against the holders of public office, legal persons and others involved in fake bank accounts scam vide letter dated 30-01-2019.
Accordingly, the DG NAB Rawalpindi authorized an inquiry u/s 18(c) of NAO, 1999 and 24 of AMLA 2010 against the holders of public office, legal persons and others involved in fake bank accounts scam regarding taking vehicles from “Tosha Khana” by accused No. 2 (Asif Ali Zardari), and payment of import duty / taxes from fake bank accounts and entrusted to the I.O vide letter dated 04-02-2019. The inquiry was then converted into investigation and entrusted to I.O. vide letter dated 21-05-2019. That evidence collected during the course of inquiry and investigation has established that accused No. 1 (Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani) in order to extend illegal benefit to accused No. 2 and 3 (Nawaz Sharif) illegally allowed the retention of vehicles gifted to them by different foreign states and dignitaries which at that time belong to Central Pool of Cars, Cabinet Division by illegally relaxing the procedure of Tosha Khana, whereby the beneficiary accused persons No. 2 & 3 through dishonest and illegal means for their personal benefit and interest retained the said vehicles against a nominal payment of 15% of total value of vehicles.
The reference says that the accused No. 1, being the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Minister-in-Charge of Cabinet Division in between 2008 to 2012 in exercise of his official functions and in connivance with co-accused person No. 2 & 3, the then President of Pakistan and ex-prime minister of Pakistan, dishonestly and illegally relaxed the procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts, issued by the Government of Pakistan vide Cabinet Division O.M. No.9/8/2004 - TK dated 25-06-2007 which expressly stipulates that vehicles shall not be allowed to be purchased by the recipients and be given to the Central Pool of Cars of the Cabinet Division. Thus, the accused No. 1, by virtue of positions he held, had the duties attendant to such offices specifically to perform his functions in the public interest. The accused No. 1, floated and suppressed the law and procedure to grant undue concession and benefits, thus, resulting in wrongful loss to state/national exchequer and corresponding wrongful gain to accused No. 2 & 3.
The reference also says that Zardari accepted and received the armoured vehicles as gifts from United Arab Emirates i.e. BMW 750 Li Model 2005, Lexus Jeep Model 2007 and Libya i.e BMW 760 Li Model 2008 in Sep-Oct 2008. It was obligated to immediately report and deposit the vehicles with Tosha Khana of Cabinet Division but he neither reported the gifted vehicles nor deposited the same. Thereby, converted those vehicles to his own use, entrusted to him or under his control till the time he showed his desire to retain the same.
The accused No. 2, by virtue of position he held, had the duties attendant to such office specifically to perform his functions in the public interest. The accused No.2, preferred to his personal interests and obtained undue concession and benefits, thus, resulting in wrongful loss to state / national exchequer and corresponding wrongful gain to himself.
