With the expiry of one-week deadline on Friday given by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani about his alleged role in the graft scams of National Investment Corporation Limited (NICL) and appointment of chairman of Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Tauqir Sadiq, the former premier has failed to respond to the questionnaire sent to him by the leading anti-corruption watchdog of the country.
A lawyer, Javed Iqbal, had visited the NAB headquarters last Friday and submitted a power of attorney with the bureau according to which Gilani had authorised the lawyer to represent him in the NICL and OGRA cases.
Talking to Pakistan Today, NAB Director-General Operations Zahir Shah said that the former prime minster had been given a week’s time for his response but till date no response has been received. He added that Javed Iqbal, the lawyer for Gilani, had been handed over the questionnaire last Friday but the NAB has yet not received any response from him.
He said that the NAB does not want to proceed against Gilani in absentia despite the fact that the NAB chairman has powers under Article 31-A of the National Accountability Ordinance to proceed against any accused in absentia.
“We are not treating Gilani as accused for the time being. We had issued summons for him and his lawyer has assured for cooperation.” He said the bureau will chalk out its strategy once the deadline lapses.
He said that the bureau will not investigate Gilani’s lawyer and rather the NAB wanted answers from Gilani himself.
Asked how the NAB plans to adjudge the answers, if any, from Gilani, Zahir Shah said the NAB had its own record out of its own investigation.
“We match the answers without record. After comparison of both the versions, we send our findings to the NAB prosecutor general and after his assessments, the matter is taken up in the executive board meeting of the NAB which decides the matter,” he added.
Shah said that the lawyer for the former premier had informed the bureau that the notice had been served upon Gilani and he will soon cooperate with the NAB.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Rawalpindi NAB Director-General Col (retd) Subah Sadiq Malik said the Rawalpindi NAB had started an inquiry against chief executive of Fayazi Gujranwala Industries Mufti Muhammad Ihsanul Haq and others on complaints of general public as well as the SECP.
“During inquiry the accused Mufti Ihsan Ul Haq was arrested on April 16 this year. The general public was invited thrice on May 12, June 8 and 9 in all nationwide newspapers to submit their claims and finally June 13 was given as the cut-off date. 838 claimants involving amount 552,439,700 Rs submitted their claims to the Rawalpindi NAB,” Subah Sadiq said.
Flanked with NAB DG Operations Zahir Shah and others, Sadiq said, “The accused came forward and opted for Voluntary Return (VR), offered 446,610,979 Rs in the shape of 20 pay orders in the name of NAB chairman and promised that he will pay remaining due amount which was 105,828,720 Rs within one month. After approval of the VR, the accused Muhammad Ehsan was discharged under Section 25 (A) of NAO 1999. After lapse of due time, the accused was issued notice to appear and deposit the same but he absconded.”
He said that the accused, after default of his VR, was re-arrested on September 6 and is presently under judicial custody at Adyala Jail, Rawalpindi. Meanwhile, he added, more claimants started submissions of their claims and presently claims of 7969 claimants involving Rs 5.9 Billion have been received at NAB Rawalpindi.
Edited: M Ahmad Tauqir
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