ISLAMABAD: The executive board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approved the closure of various corruption inquiries over lack of evidence.

A declaration has been released by the anti-corruption watchdog that stated the closure of various inquiries into alleged financial irregularities against individuals from different organisations.

The declaration stated that the executive board in its session held under the chair of NAB chief Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal approved closure of a number of corruption inquiries against many individuals including National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) general manager Imran Taj, Vice-Chancellor of Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU) Khairpur Professor Dr Parveen Shah, officers from Karachi Development Authority (KDA), revenue board, irrigation department and Sindh government.

The anti-graft watchdog gave approval to the initiation of investigation against former registrar Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) Nadeem Akbar and Port Qasim Authority’s officers.

On November 6, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal had given approval to close inquiries against Ghulam Rabbani Khar and his daughter former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar.

The decision was also made during a meeting of the NAB’s executive board where the deputy chairman NAB, prosecutor general NAB, DG NAB Rawalpindi and other officials were in attendance.

The board gave the approval to close ongoing inquires over corruption charges against Ghulam Rabbani Khar, Hina Rabbani Khar, former chairman NICL, Ayaz Niazi, over lack of evidence.

It is noteworthy that Hina Rabbani was among politicians against whom NAB Chairman (retd) Justice Javed Iqbal had approved inquiries in a Feb meeting of the executive board of the bureau.

In October, NAB had told the Sindh High Court (SHC) regarding the closure of separate inquiries against two provincial lawmakers belonging to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) facing corruption charges.

The anti-corruption watchdog’s Karachi chapter ended inquiries of making illegal assets against PPP’s members of provincial assembly (MPAs), Taimur Talpur and Hakeem Baloch, over finding no evidence against them.

Earlier, Mr Iqbal stated that bringing mega corruption cases to their logical conclusion “is the bureau’s highest priority.” “Corruption is the root cause of all evils [in the society] that require surgery to root out,” he said, adding that the department has been strictly following the policy of “accountability for all”.

“NAB believes in taking cases and not fees within the Law to their logical end,” he mentioned. “In the last 23 months, 610 references have been filed in [different] accountability courts and in this span, Rs71 billion were recovered and deposited into the national exchequer,” he said.

He urged the public to point out illegal housing societies for curbing their rising numbers. “The business community plays a critical role in progress and prosperity of the country,” he said.

Besides, the meeting considered complaints and investigations for possible approval of new corruption inquiries and filing of corruption references.—NNI