ISLAMABAD - National Accountability Bureau Rawalpindi has filed third corruption reference in fake bank accounts case against close aides of former president Asif Zardari, including Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, CEO of OMNI Group of companies and 16 others in Accountability Court.

The NAB Combined Investigation Team (CIT) has nominated Ahmad Ali Malik, Zain Malik, Muhammad Younis, Abdul Jabbar, M Shabbir, Aftab Ahmad Memon, Syed M Shah, Muhammad Garho, former Assistant Commissioner, Sohail Ahmad Memon, Mumtaz Ali channa, Muhammad Ali Kalwar, Mehtab Ali Sahito, Gul Kalwar, Qurban Ali, M Aslam Qureshi, M/S Bahria Town Pvt Ltd, M/S Pink Residency.

The CIT said in the reference that accused were involved in misuse of authority and illegal regularisation of 20 acres of government land in favour of M/s Pink Residency and others. The accused persons misused their authority and caused a loss worth more than Rs2.5 billion (in term of govt land) to national exchequer. The NAB Rawalpindi, as part of their reference into allotment of over 30 acres of land worth Rs2.5 billion has cautioned to avoid any further sale/purchase.

Well-placed sources in NAB told The Nation that the payment of these two plots was paid through fake bank accounts. They said that former president Asif Zardari had inaugurated “Apna Ghar” scheme for Pakistan International Airline employees on 31-10-2010 and later the allotment of land to PIA was cancelled and the land was regularised in the name of Pink Residency illegally.

Earlier, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) constituted by the Supreme Court probed the money-laundering through fake bank accounts case said the investigation found out that cheques worth Rs46 million were issued from the fake accounts to A-One International, Ibrahim Linkers and Umair Associates for regularisation fee for illegal allotment of state land to M/s Pink Residency.

People must avoid purchase of Pink Residency land,” says NAB

On the other hand, NAB Rawalpindi Sub Office Gilgit-Baltistan has arrested accused Altaf Hussain from Sikandarabad Nagar, Gilgit. The accused person was absconding from NAB and Accountability Court proceedings and was declared proclaimed offender. Reference against the accused person was filed in 2016 according to which the accused along with other National Bank officials, illegally managed to clear goods from customs authorities without paying the customs duties and taxes, hence causing loss to the National Exchequer in the tune of Rs3.1 million.

APP adds: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Monday asked the people to avoid purchasing land from Pink Residency as the bureau has filed a corruption reference against the illegal allotment of the said land.

According to a press release issues here, NAB, Rawalpindi has cautioned to avoid purchase/sale of 30 acre land of Pink Residency worth Rs2.5 billion as the bureau has filed corruption reference against Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Omni Group of Companies and others involved in Fake Bank Accounts scam regarding misuse of authority in illegal allotment/regularisation of Government land in favour of M/s Pink Residency and others.

It is pertinent to mention that accused persons misused their authority and caused loss worth over Rs2.5 billion (in term of Govt land) losses to national exchequer.