ISLAMABAD - National Accountability Bureau chairman has directed the Lahore Bureau to speed up investigation against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and senior minister Punjab Aleem Khan, The Nation has learnt.
Aleem is facing two cases in NAB Lahore including assets beyond known sources of income and holding an offshore company.
The officials of NAB Lahore Bureau had given a briefing to Chairman NAB Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal on the progress of ongoing cases against Aleem last week.
During the visit, the DG NAB also briefed the NAB chairman Justice (retd) Javaid Iqbal about the progress of mega scams including 56 public limited companies and housing societies cases, which are currently under investigation in the Lahore Bureau. The chairman directed DG NAB Lahore to complete the pending cases as soon as possible and take strict action against those who are involved in corruption without any discrimination.
Well-placed sources told The Nation that DG NAB Lahore gave a detail briefing on Aleem’s cases and the chairman had asked to speed up investigation into the cases. They said that NAB Lahore summoned Aleem twice in assets beyond known sources of income but he failed to respond to the queries of NAB investigation team satisfactory. They said the NAB team can take Aleem in custody if he fails to prove allegations wrong in his next appearance.
According to the media reports, Aleem had claimed that he had given satisfactory reply to all the questions of investigation team. NAB Lahore had arrested Opposition Leader in National Assembly and former Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Aashyana Housing scam last week during his appearance before NAB team.
Earlier, PTI leader and Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan had resigned from his post after filing corruption reference against him by NAB in Islamabad Accountability Court.
On the other hand, NAB had sent back services of former DG NAB Rawalpindi Nasir Iqbal and Ahmed Jan Malik, a grade-19 officer of Secretariat group to Establishment Division, who were working in NAB on deputation basis.
The chairman NAB had also issued transfers and postings of six DG level officers as Muhammad Abid Javed has been transferred from Islamabad and posted him as DG NAB Quetta, Brig (Retd) Farooq Nasir Awan has been posted as DG NAB Karachi, Muhammad Altaf Bawany, outgoing DG NAB Karachi has also been posted as DG (A&P) NAB headquarters.
Mirza Irfan Baig has been posted as Director NAB Sukkhar and the outgoing Director NAB Sukkhar Fayyaz Qureshi has been directed to report to NAB headquarters for further posting.
Similarly, Ghulam Safdar Shah, Additional Director NAB Lahore has been asked to report to NAB headquarters as well.
The NAB headquarters has issued notifications of all postings and transfers with the approval of competent authority.