NAB to freeze assets of Dr Asim Hussain

0
153

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to freeze the assets of former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain after he tried to transfer property to his son.

The decision to freeze assets of Dr Asim had been taken in Rs 462 billion corruption case, sources said.

The NAB sources said Dr Asim owned property worth millions of rupees in district south of Karachi. It included different apartments, plots and shops, they added.

The NAB also wanted to freeze 23 acre agricultural land in Korangi district, sources said. The bureau had written a letter to the Sindh government for freezing the assets, they added.

The accountability court has already indicted the former petroleum minister for Rs 462 billion corruption in his ministry during his tenure.

Dr Asim created artificial shortage of gas during his tenure which resulted in increase of fertilizer prices which touched Rs1,830 from just Rs 850. Due to this, the government provided a subsidy on urea import which caused Rs 450 billion loss to national exchequer from 2012 to 2013.

Dr Asim also acquired land illegally for establishing Ziauddin Hospital, according to the NAB documents presented by the prosecutor in the court. Dr Asim pleaded not guilty saying he was being politically victimised. He said charges framed against him were fake. The former minister was arrested on August 25, 2015, by the Rangers.