Ballooning to billions: Finally, NAB orders investigation against minister, brother
After remaining indecisive for more than a year, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has ordered formal investigation into the allegations against Federal Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar and his brother, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht whose assets have “ballooned to billions of rupees.”
The decision was taken in the NAB’s Executive Board meeting held on January 16, said an official privy to the development. The spokesman for NAB promised to respond after checking but later avoided receiving call when tried a multiple times by The
News. Khusro didn’t respond either when repeatedly called for his comments. A text message to him also remained unanswered.
Ahsan Abid Advocate, complainant against both minister-brothers, said a NAB officer who spoke on behalf of chairman informed him during a meeting late Friday that the case has been converted into investigation.
He had filed complaint in 2018. In September that year, the NAB headquarters had referred this complaint for verification to NAB Multan which after three- month inquiry testified the allegations and reported back to the headquarters that the complaint is credible enough for conversion into proper investigation wherein the ministers could be summoned for detailed probe.
The headquarters didn’t seem to be in haste notwithstanding the fact that the complainant moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) in May 2019 praying the case be concluded on time and merit as is being done against the opposition politicians. The court subsequently put the NAB on notice but it remained indecisive until recently. It has been learnt that a couple of NAB notices were issued to the minister; the last one in August 2019.
The minister would send them to some dignitaries close to NAB asking them to make Bureau understand not to commit any mischief. What triggered the NAB’s decision of launching investigation right now remains unexplained.
A source close to the minister termed the NAB investigation baseless and politically motivated. He said Makhdoom family would provide each and every detail to establish that the assets it amassed aren't ill-gotten and have rather been procured through bonafide sources. He said that the whole affair will be crystal clear after the investigation is completed.
As per complaint verification report of NAB Multan submitted in December 2018, the ministers’ family did a roaring investment in six years of the last decade.
It set up four sugar mills, five power generation companies, four trading companies including one in London, one ethonal manufacturing company and two others.