ISLAMABAD  -  National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Multan filed some 82 corruption references in various accountability courts from the year 2018 to 2020, while 22 suspects were convicted besides imposing fine of Rs306.38 million, said Director General Multan bureau Nauman Aslam on Friday.

NAB Chariman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal presided over the meeting via video link, he said as many as 15 convicted persons had returned Rs343.97 million through Plea Bargain after approval by the Learned Accountability Court Multan. NAB Multan has indirectly recovered Rs3,748.1 million pertaining to different departments under Federal and provincial governments.

DG NAB informed that besides nabbing the culprits, our efforts had resulted in retrieval of misappropriated state lands belonging to Board of Revenue (BOR), Irrigation department and Local Government departments Punjab under its prevention regime. A sum of Rs726.8 million had been recovered from the culprits involved preparing bogus proprietary record, occupying of state lands and selling the same amongst general public.

He also informed the meeting that in the case of disbursement of loans amongst public by the government of the Punjab through National Rural Support Program (NRSP), the Bureau had ensured recovery of Rs502.6 million from NRSP in favor of the said government.

He informed that a lion’s share of indirect recoveries of Rs2,518 million related to housing sector. A mounting growth of illegal housing societies by the developers / owners of land in connivance with the regulator had been observed; where general public had been deprived of their hard earned money and legitimate rights by non-transferring of ownership rights and possessions, non-provision of basic facilities and non-submission of government fees/dues.

The NAB Multan took cognizance of the matter under its prevention regime that ultimately resulted in execution of development works, provision of basic necessities / amenities, and submission of all government dues / fees etc. The meeting was informed that Multan NAB had recovered a total of Rs4,398.45 million.

NAB Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal appreciated the performance of NAB Multan under the supervision of Nauman Aslam and hoped that the bureau would continue to perform in future with same zeal and commitment.

Hussain Asghar, Deputy Chairman NAB, Syed Asghar Haider, Prosecutor General Accountability (PGA), and other senior officers of NAB were present at the meeting, Nauman Aslam, DG NAB Multan also participated in the meeting via video link.

MD WASA for pre-monsoon arrangements

Managing Director Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Nasir Iqbal directed the officials of sewerage and disposal station divisions to accelerate the arrangements regarding monsoon rains.

He ordered deputy directors disposal stations to keep all disposal stations free fall and also submit the report regarding pump houses and generators on daily basis. The report about de-silting at sewerage sub-division level was presented to MD WASA and he ordered to make the sewerage lines cleanliness more effective. He said that the sewer complaints could be addressed only due to cleanliness of sewerage lines.