ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau Monday authorised an inquiry against Director General Anti Corruption Punjab over the allegation of misuse of power and denying providing the record to the NAB.

The NAB decided to file two corruption references and authorised four investigations and 17 inquiries against civil servants and businessmen in its Executive Board Meeting chaired by the NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal.

It was decided to file corruption reference against former Karachi Development Authority Director General Syed Nasir Abbas and others for illegally converting welfare plots into commercial plots and causing loss of Rs354 million to the national exchequer.

The meeting also approved a corruption reference against Sindh Public Service Commission ex-chairman Muhammad Hassan Bhutto and others over the allegation of misuse of power and making illegal appointments in the civic body.

The NAB also authorised an inquiry against former vice-chancellor Sargodha University Chaudhary Muhammad Akram on charges of misuse of power and illegal appointments in the university. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Higher Education has also ordered administrative, financial and academic audit of his eight years tenure.

The NAB authorised a third inquiry against officers of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Islamabad for illegally appointing 200 persons in the PARC. The fourth inquiry was authorised against officials of Capital Development Authority for selling expensive plot at cheap price in Sector G-6 Islamabad. The fifth inquiry was authorised against officers of Privatization Commission of Pakistan over the allegations of privatization of Pak-US Fertilization Mianwali and causing a loss of Rs3.889 billion to the national exchequer.

The NAB approved the sixth inquiry against the management of NEPRA and seven companies of the Ministry of Water and Power for violating the laws and making changes in the tariff and causing a loss of Rs200 billion to the national exchequer. The seventh inquiry was authorised against Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Khan, Chief Executive M/s Malik Exchange (Pvt) Ltd and an official of the FIA on money-laundering charges. The eighth inquiry was authorised against owners of Al-Khair Housing Society for looting money from people without transferring the land in their name.

The NAB authorised the ninth inquiry against the Land Utilization Department, Sindh and others in a case of transfer of government land illegally and causing a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. The 10th inquiry was approved against ex-director general Sindh Building Control Authority and others on charges of misuse of power and converting the welfare plots into commercial plots, causing millions of rupees loss to the exchequer.

The 11th inquiry was ordered against Raheela Magsi and Mohammad Mohsin in case of suspicious transactions. The 12th inquiry was approved against ex-director PIPL and Structure Venture on the charges of their involvement in corruption and corrupt practices and causing a loss of Rs354 million to the national exchequer.

The NAB authorised the 13th inquiry against the management of Jinnah Medical College Peshawar on charges of misuse of power. The 14th inquiry was approved against officials of Custom Collectorate Peshawar and clearing agent of Fata in a case of corruption and causing a loss of Rs24 billion to the national exchequer. The 15th inquiry was authorised against officials of Bank of Khyber for illegally appointing 1400 persons in the bank. The 16th inquiry was approved against Chairman District Council Qila Abdullah Muhammad Usman and others for their alleged misuse of power and causing a loss of Rs120 million to the exchequer.

The NAB also approved the inquiry against ex-chairman Pakistan Science Foundation Dr Manzoor Hussain Soomro and others for their alleged misuse of power, illegal appointments and 90 foreign trips, causing a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. 

The meeting also authorised investigation against ex-VC Abdul Wali Khan University Dr Ahsan Ali in a case of assets beyond known sources. The investigation was also approved against ex-Chairman Quetta Development Authority Muhammad Ismail Gujar and others. Another inquiry was authorised against Talat Mehmood, Numan Nawaz, Ijaz Ahmed and others in case of corruption and misuse of power and causing a loss of Rs3.14 million to the exchequer. Another investigation was approved against officials of Abdul Wali Khan University on charges of corruption and violating merit in awarding scholarships to students.