ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) back in 2016 initiated scores of investigations, probes, and inquiries against Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials guilty of corrupt practices in the course of performing their duties.
These references were filed with NAB despite the fact that departmental inquiries were underway and similar cases were already under investigation by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). However, little to no headway has been made on any of the cases despite the change of guard at highest echelons of Accountability watchdog.
Out of total 38 investigations with NAB, some high profile cases include Shuttle Service in Diplomatic Enclave, where it was alleged that by practising favoritism the contract has been given to a company who was already a defaulter of CDA. Other cases under investigation by NAB were offer of residential plots to 113 officers, in discrepancies in payments made to Margalla Tower affectees, embezzlement/misappropriation of license fee in Directorate of Municipal Authority, irregularities pertaining to Multi Professional Housing Cooperative Housing Society E-11, theft of street light poles from Koral Chowk to Rawat Islamabad Highway.
NAB is also investigating three references about double allotment of commercial plots in Sector I-14. The Land and Estate Directorate and planning Directorate are primary directorates that deal with auctioning of commercial plots in capital’s sectors. Plots that are reserved for schools and their allotment to favorites has also been under investigation at NAB.
Investigations into the Lok Virsa, Vanguard Books, M. S Book Finders, plot no. 26, F-6 Markaz was pending due to lack of/ non-provision of record/original file.
The infamous Grand Hyatt tower, whose lease has been cancelled in 2016 by CDA, although the matter was taken up by NAB back in the year 2014 the latest development is that FIA has cleared all accused in Rs25 billion project while NAB has filed a new reference this February. NAB is yet to conclude its old investigation. A similar reference on Centaurus twin tower is pending with NAB with no clear end in sight.
Sources at NAB confided in Pakistan Today that in the Grand Hyatt case the dual jurisdiction of FIA and NAB were colliding and Accountability watchdog is trying to get hold of the investigation and bring it to a final conclusion.
Besides aforementioned high profile cases, NAB has initiated many investigations against Deputy Director Generals, Assistant Directors, Audit Officers, Tehsildar and other officials for their involvement in corruption, misuse of official authority and connivance in illegal allotments, promotions, and postings.
It is pertinent to mention here that that Chairman NAB, Justice (r) Javed Iqbal at the very fag end of his PML-N tenure initiated an inquiry to look into the recently inaugurated Metropolitan Club by Mayor Islamabad Sheikh Anser Aziz. NAB Chairman Justice (r) instructed Director General NAB Rawalpindi, Irfan Mangi to initiate an inquiry into 1.9 billion rupees project. The inquiry is still ongoing.
