Corruption: NAB arrests Pakistan Railways General Manager

Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, former secretary Samiul Haq Khilji also named in corruption cases.

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested General Manager Operations of Pakistan Railways (PR) Saeed Akhtar, on alleged misuse of authority and other charges in relation to a multi-billion scrap scandal, The Express Tribune has learnt. Sources familiar with the matter said that some accused including the PR officials and contractors have already been arrested while some were released on bail after depositing back the plundered money. Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and former secretary Samiul Haq Khilji were also named in the scrap scandal. They are accused of giving permission for awarding tenders to certain contractors after receiving bribes from them. The same allegation was also levelled against Akhtar by another accused, former Controller of Stores PR Khalid Mohiuddin during the ongoing investigation. It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani gave one year extension to Akhtars contract, who had retired recently. NAB Chairman Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari had established a special operations division, headed by Director General Colonel retired Shahzad Bhatti to investigate all the high-profile corruption cases referred to the NAB by the Supreme Court, including cases against Akhtar.

Embezzlement: Bilour named in multi-billion railways scrap scandal

LAHORE: Railways Minister Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has been named as an accused in a multibillion scrap scandal, currently being investigated by the Punjab chapter of National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

On the orders of the Supreme Court, NAB initiated investigations into the alleged disposal, in clear violations of prescribed rules, of 39,000 metric tons of Railway scrap valued at more than Rs300 million. The bare facts of the case indicate that the chief controller of stores, in connivance with different contractors, allegedly floated bulk tenders for the sale of scrap for the first time in the history of Pakistan Railways, to restrict competition and keep prospective bidders away. The tenders had been awarded to the contractors, some of whom are considered to be very close to the railways minister as well as top ranking railways officials, on cheaper rates as compared to the open market, allegedly for the purpose of financial gain. The alleged sale of the scrap had been made at throwaway prices in gross violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and departmental rules for embezzlement through misuse of authority by causing loss to the national exchequer, investigations revealed. Investigations revealed that when the tenders were awarded, the rate of scrap was about Rs37,000 per metric ton, while the Pakistan Railways auctioned it for Rs28,700 per metric ton. Earlier, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had stopped contractors from lifting the remaining scrap from Pakistan Railways workshops. Later, on the orders of Supreme Court, the case was referred to NAB to ensure the arrest of all accused. The case had been referred to the NAB Punjab from the Special Operations Division set up at the NAB Headquarters in Islamabad on December 19, 2011. Following the Supreme Courts intervention, the bureau has been able to recover Rs3.5 billion from the accused in account of 34,000 out of the 39,000 metric tons of scrap, sources told The Express Tribune. NAB reluctant to arrest accused The NAB Punjab had arrested five of the accused in this case, including former chief controller of stores Pakistan Railways Khalid Mohiuddin. Four arrested contractors including Zahir Khan, Khalid Noor, Shabbir and Shakil were, however, conditionally released after paying Rs70 million on account of about 4,000 metric tons of scrap. One of the accused, then railways secretary Samiul Haq Khilji, had left the country immediately after the scandal was uncovered. Saeed Akhtar, the serving general manager of Pakistan Railways, who is also alleged to have been involved in the scandal and is included in the Exit Control List (ECL), still enjoys the most important post in Pakistan Railways, sources said. The former chief controller of stores during investigations revealed that Bilour, Khilji and Akhtar had received Rs150 million in the scam.

NAB authorities are, however, reluctant to arrest any of the influential accused including the sitting railways minister, the former secretary and the sitting railways general manager. NAB had summoned the general manager who recorded his statement but failed to prove himself innocent, while the former secretary did not appear before the investigators at all investigation revealed. Despite recording Mohiuddins statement, NAB has so far failed to summon the railways minister to clarify his position. Earlier, the FIA had arrested six Pakistan Railways officials and contractors wanted in the case. They were identified as Deputy Controller Stores Rashid Shehzad, Assistant Controller Depot Shakil Somro, Ward Keepers Ahmed Ammar and Younis Alvi, Senior Store Keeper Muhammad Iqbal and retired Assistant Controller Aslam Khan. Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2012.

NAB acquits PM in Adnan Khwaja case

Ahmad Noorani Saturday, April 14, 2012 From Print Edition

ISLAMABAD: In a rather surprising decision the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), run by Chairman Admiral (R) Fasih Bokhari, has absolved the prime minister of any wrongdoing in the appointment of the prime ministers under-qualified friend, Adnan Khwaja as OGDCL chairman. All responsibility has instead been fixed on former Secretary establishment, Ismael Qureshi.

In his latest report to the Supreme Court submitted some days back, NAB chairman Fasih Bokhari has declared that national exchequer suffered no losses during the appointment of Adnan Khawaja. Adnan Khawaja, a simple matriculate having the only qualification of being the friend of the Prime Minister and an NRO beneficiary was appointed as chairman of the biggest profit earning corporation of the government.

The Supreme Court had taken notice of the appointment of an NRO beneficiary and the case turned into a mega scandal after disclosure of the details. As no action was being taken against NRO beneficiaries so among the other cases Supreme Court has taken up Adnan Khawajas illegal appointment issue in NRO Judgement Implementation Case and has repeatedly ordered NAB to act against those who were responsible for this illegal appointment.

During NABs investigations, the then Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Nargis Sethi had admitted that Prime Minister had passed verbal orders regarding appointment of Adnan Khawaja. In an earlier report submitted few months back even NAB had held that the then secretary establishment Ismail Qureshi was not responsible for the appointment of Adnan Khawaja.

However, now Chairman NAB has held Ismail Qureshi and the then additional secretary establishment as solely responsible for the illegal appointment. It is relevant to mention that Ismail Qureshi is elder brother of Zafar Qureshi, the former additional Director General FIA and chief investigator of notorious NICL scam who earned the wrath of the PPP government because of his professional integrity. No one was available from NAB to respond to queries despite

What Is Steel Mill Scandal In Pakistan? http://haroonhaider.com/2011/11/14/pakistansteel-mills-scandal/

The Pakistan steel mill is one of the many powerful mills of the country. It is the backbone of the country economy, and serving for the country since 1968. Country's most of the export advantage is because of this steel mill. It is working in a public sector. Pakistan steel mill is the biggest flourishing industrial company of thecountry. Its total capacity of production of steel is 1.1 million tonnes. The most current and thundering scandal of the Pakistan was the privatization of Pakistan steel mills. This scandal was made against his government of Pakistan in 2007. It was published and came into the public level, when the supreme court of Pakistan has ruled against the decision of the Pakistan'sgovernment, of privatizing the steel mill. The government of Pakistan wants to sell the mill on foreign country group, and in which the Pakistani

arif habib group was also included, he is the friend of the Pakistani Prime Minister Shauket Aziz. When the supreme court chief justice If tikhar chaudry ruled against this case, then he was suspended from his job by President pervez Musharaf, on the will of Shaukat Aziz. This case is still pending in the supreme court of Pakistan.