ISLAMABAD - After receiving a clean chit in National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) scam from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team probing into the case, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry has resumed his office as chairman NAB on Thursday.
Qamar Zaman had left for leaves during the investigation into the mega scam. Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ordered investigation against the NAB Chairman. No evidence was found against the suspect during the investigation and NAB cleared him of all charges. A petition filed by Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the appointment of incumbent chairman NAB is still pending with the Supreme Court (SC), the sources added.
According to NAB, the institution carried out an investigation against its own chief Qamar Zaman Chaudhry and found out that he was not involved in the appointment of ex-NICL chief Ayaz Khan Niazi.
The NICL scandal involves purchase of real estate on inflated rates. On November 22, the Supreme Court had declared him a key suspect in the scandal, accusing him of being involved in the illegal appointment of Ayyaz Khan Niazi as NICL chairperson. Zaman went on leave after the verdict because he wanted the probe against him to be free of any influence. The NAB then conducted an investigation into the scam and declared that Zaman had no hand in the illegal NICL appointment.
The list of suspects in the NICL case comprises the sitting Economic Affairs Division Secretary Nargis Sethi, Federal Tax Ombudsman Abdur Rauf Chaudhry and former PM’s principal secretary Khushnood Lashari. The list also includes Pakistan People’s Party leader and former commerce minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim.
The NAB approved further investigations against former Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Khushnood Lashari, Nargis Sethi, Rauf Chaudhry and Sulamn Ghani in NICL case.