Tue, 21-Oct-2025

NAB and OPF sign MoU to support overseas Pakistanis

NAB

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), operating under the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday to enhance cooperation in resolving complaints and challenges faced by overseas Pakistanis. The signing ceremony, held at NAB headquarters, marked the establishment of a … Read more

NAB amendments restored by Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan reinstated National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments, approving the intra-court appeals by the government and other parties.

Supreme Court of Pakistan passed the verdict on the NAB amendments case on Friday.

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa read the decision to revoke the nullification of NAB amendments and announced the verdict.

A 5-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, was involved in the hearing. Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi were part of the bench.

According to the court’s ruling, the amendments could not be proved unconstitutional.

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Court acquits Fawad Hassan Fawad in assets case

Court acquits
  •  Fawad Hassan Fawad and others had filed applications.
  • Presiding Judge Uzma Akhtar Chughtai announced verdict.
  • NAB arrested Fawad in Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing reference.

LAHORE: An accountability court acquitted former principal secretary to prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad, his wife and brother in a reference of assets beyond means made by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Fawad and others had filed applications under section 265-K of CrPC seeking their acquittal in the reference.

Announcing her verdict, Presiding Judge Uzma Akhtar Chughtai allowed the acquittal applications of the accused persons.

The judge had reserved the verdict last week after hearing final arguments from the prosecution and the defence.

A counsel on behalf of the applicants had told the court that his clients did not want to invoke the new amendments in the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 to get any benefit on technical grounds but wanted the court to decide the acquittal applications on merits.

He said the NAB had made a false reference against the petitioners purely on political grounds.

The NAB alleged that an inquiry against Fawad was initiated following an order by the Islamabad High Court passed on a complaint filed by a lawyer namely Khurram Qureshi in 2017. Later, the inquiry culminated into a reference.

It said the complainant provided the bureau with evidence of five illegal properties owned by Fawad. It said the father of Fawad had retired from the army as a non-commissioned officer and later served in the forest department.

The bureau further alleged that Fawad’s father owned only one house measuring five-marla in Rawalpindi and added that there was a visible increase in the assets of the accused after 2014.

It accused the former bureaucrat of accumulating assets worth over Rs4bn through alleged corruption during his posting as principal secretary to prime minister and secretary implementation to chief minister.

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Chairman NAB says logical conclusion of white-collar crimes top priority

Logical conclusion of white-collar crime topmost priority of NAB: Chairman

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal appreciated the excellent performance of all ranks of NAB officers from Lahore and hoped for further effective performance in future in accordance with the law. Chairing a meeting to review the performance of NAB Lahore on Tuesday, Justice (retd) Iqbal said that the excellent performance … Read more

No accountability in the Bureau

accountability

Islamabad: When it comes to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) nothing is concrete from prosecution to conviction.The accountability bureau, does however, know how to flaunt its controversial performance, and that too with different shades of narration. According to the anti-graft watchdog, from the time of its inception up to September of this year, it has … Read more

Opposition fails to reach consensus on proposed names for chairman NAB

Opposition fails to reach consensus on name of NAB chief

ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties could not reach consensus on the proposed names for the post of chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), BOL News reported on Monday. Read more: Over 1100 big fishes convicted because of NAB: Justice (retd) Javaid Iqbal Sources privy to the development stated that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and … Read more

LHC dismisses plea challenging amendments made in NAB laws

NAB

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the recent amendments made in the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 after the petitioner withdrew the plea. The petitioner had challenged the amendments made in the ordinance that paved the way for incumbent NAB chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal to get an extension … Read more

SC directs NAB to probe Thar coal project

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to probe embezzlement of funds in the Thar coal project. A three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed heard the suo motu case pertaining to alleged financial irregularities and loss caused to the national exchequer in the … Read more

Asif Zardari files acquittal plea in Toshakhana reference

Asif Zardari files acquittal plea in Toshakhana reference

ISLAMABAD: Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday has filed a plea in the accountability court for his acquittal in the Toshakhana reference. Barrister Shiraz Rajpar filed an application under the amended ordinance which stated that Zardari is a former President of Pakistan and current Member National Assembly who is not innocent and has been … Read more

Punjab’s bureaucracy perturbed after passage of privileges bill

LAHORE: Uncertainty has gripped the bureaucratic circles of Punjab after the provincial assembly unanimously passed the ‘The Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Privileges (Amendment) Bill 2021’, sources told Bol News on Monday. The bill empowers the assembly to summon and punish an officer whenever and wherever privileges of a member is violated. A senior bureaucrat … Read more

NAB Karachi to file reference against Hafeez Shaikh, 2 former FBR chairmen

NAB Karachi to file reference against Hafeez Shaikh, 2 former FBR chairmen

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Regional Board, Karachi on Monday recommended to file a reference against former finance minister and two former chairmen of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on the charges of misuse of authority, causing a loss of over $11 million to the national exchequer. The Regional Board meeting, held here … Read more

Effective anti-corruption strategy starts yielding results: NAB chairman

Effective anti-corruption strategy

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman former Justice Javed Iqbal said that after assuming the charge of the coveted post, an effective anti-corruption strategy comprising awareness, prevention and enforcement was chalked out to revamp the anti-graft watchdog. Chairing a meeting to review the overall performance of NAB at its headquarters, he said the National Accountability … Read more

Saeed Ghani says, “Government is in possession of a video of NAB chief”

Saeed Ghani NAB Chief

Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani, on Friday lashed out at Chairman NAB Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, blaming the federal government for blackmailing him. Saeed Ghani, speaking at a news conference, said the Bureau’s head is being blackmailed by the government, who is in possession of a video of the NAB chief. The minister criticized the … Read more

Court Issues Release Orders For PML-N Leader Khawaja Asif

Khawaja Asif release orders

A court on Thursday (today) has issued the release orders for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif from jail.

According to sources, a court official moved to Kot Lakhpat Jail carrying the release order of Khawaja Asif, who was granted bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC) in a money laundering case on Wednesday.

An LHC bench comprising Justice Alia Neelam and Justice Shahbaz Rizvi delivered the verdict in the case of Khawaja Asif.

The PML-N leader was arrested on December 29, 2020. He filed a bail application on March 27, 2021.

Asif, in his bail plea, stated that he was arrested by NAB on December 29 in a case alleging he owns assets beyond known sources of income and has engaged in money laundering.

He told the court that he has already submitted details sought by NAB and claimed that the anti-corruption watchdog has not shared any of the records turned in by him.

“The accountability court judge also observed that NAB has all relevant records,” Asif had said.

He had said that the Federal Board of Revenue and Election Commission of Pakistan also have records of the assets owned by him.

Earlier, the accountability court in Lahore had granted physical remand to Khawaja Asif till January 13 in assets beyond means case.

The NAB presented Khawaja Asif before the court and requested a 15-day physical remand.

Also, the court directed the NAB that the accused should be allowed to meet his counsel and family members with food being provided from his home.

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LHC Grants Bail To PML-N Leader Khawaja Asif In Assets Beyond Means Case

Khawaja Asif granted bail

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted bail to PML-N leader Khawaja Asif in a money laundering case and owning assets beyond known sources of income.

An LHC bench comprising Justice Alia Neelam and Justice Shahbaz Rizvi delivered the verdict in the case of Khawaja Asif.

The PML-N leader was arrested on December 29, 2020. He filed a bail application on March 27, 2021.

Asif, in his bail plea, stated that he was arrested by NAB on December 29 in a case alleging he owns assets beyond known sources of income and has engaged in money laundering.

He told the court that he has already submitted details sought by NAB and claimed that the anti-corruption watchdog has not shared any of the records turned in by him.

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“The accountability court judge also observed that NAB has all relevant records,” Asif had said.

He had said that the Federal Board of Revenue and Election Commission of Pakistan also have records of the assets owned by him.

Earlier, the accountability court in Lahore had granted physical remand to Khawaja Asif till January 13 in assets beyond means case.

The NAB presented Khawaja Asif before the court and requested a 15-day physical remand.

Also, the court directed the NAB that the accused should be allowed to meet his counsel and family members with food being provided from his home.

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Sindh Seeks Joint Sitting Of Parliament Against Census Results

Sindh Seeks Joint Sitting Of Parliament Against Census Results

The Sindh government has filed a reference under the relevant article of the Constitution to convene a joint sitting of Parliament against the results of the census approved by the Council of Common Interests (CCI). According to the report, the Sindh government has termed the census results approved by the CCI as controversial and flawed. … Read more

AC Adjourns hearing against Zardari in Rs8 billion Suspicious Transaction Reference

Illegal Transaction Case Asif Ali Zardari

The Accountability Court (AC) has on Thursday adjourned the hearing of suspicious transaction reference of former President Asif Ali Zardari.

According to the details, the suspicious transaction reference’s hearing of Rs8 billion has been adjourned till June 9.

Before the PPP co-chairman was summoned, the reference said that there is strong evidence that Asif Zardari built Clifton’s house with clear corruption.

It further added that Zardari’s stenographer Mushtaq paid worth Rs 150 million for the purchase of the house.

Zardari Gets Bail In Suspicious Transaction Reference

Earlier, The Islamabad  High Court (IHC) had granted bail to Asif Zardari on medical grounds. He was being examined by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the suspicious transaction of Rs8 billion through a fake bank account.

During the hearing, NAB’s lawyer said that the reference file in the case has not been submitted yet and the matter is still being probed.

In response, Asif Zardari’s lawyer Farooq Naik said that  his client had been “remanded for more than two months after his arrest, during which the NAB could have interrogated Asif Zardari.” He added that  Zardari is still “ready to answer questions,” if need be.

Farooq Naik sought pre-arrest bail for the former president on medical grounds. The court also denied the NAB from arresting Asif Zardari.

He was granted bail against two surety bonds of Rs10 million each. NAB’s prosecutor general Jahanzaib Bharwana and deputy prosecutor general Sardar Muzafar Abbasi represented the anti-corruption watchdog, while Farooq H. Naek argued on behalf of the former president.

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CM Sindh Pens letter to PM Imran over province’s reservations on Census

Murad Ali Shah

Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has on Wednesday (today) penned a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan and expressed the province’s reservations over the population census figures.

CM Sindh’s letter to the Prime Minister read, “Sindh have reservations over approval of the population census results in the Council of Common Interest (CCI).”

The chief minister in his letter asked for a new population census immediately.

“Several millions of people in Sindh have not been counted in the population census,” the letter further read.

Murad Ali Shah added more in his letter, “Sindh’s population has been over 60 million.”

“In Census figures the average number of the members of a family in Sindh has been delineated five members,” it added more.

Sindh’s chief minister also referred to survey reports of the UNICEF and other international institutions with regard to the population of the province.

According to the letter, Murad Ali Shah had presented his reservations and evidence in written in the session of the CCI.

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‘Judgmental, Unipolar Comments On NAB Violate Court Orders’ PEMRA Warns TV Channels

PEMRA license

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued a new guideline on commenting on NAB in TV programs. According to the directive issued on Wednesday that making judgmental and Unipolar comments on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) during the program is a violation of the orders of the Supreme Court. A statement issued by … Read more

Babar Awan Lambasts At Maryam Nawaz For Pressurizing NAB

Babar Awan Maryam Nawaz

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan Babar Awan has said that Maryam Nawaz is a “convicted” corrupt leader and herself says “come arrest me”.

Speaking to BOL News’ program Tajzia with host Sami Ibrahim, Babar Awan has termed the decision by Islamabad High Court (IHC) about the Chairman Senate much right.

The IHC has on Monday dismissed a reserved judgment on whether the PPP’s petition against the election of the Senate chairman was admissible or not.

Awan further said that the ongoing matters in the parliament “can’t be challenged in court”.

Lambasting further at PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, he said that no one has the right to interfere in the legal procedure by the anti-corruption watchdog.

“Being forceful to NAB by any means and harassing the institution is totally intolerable,” Babar Awan added. He further said that the penalty for putting pressure on NAB is 10 years.

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Maryam’s Appearance: Punjab Govt. Approves NAB’s request to declare Lahore office as ‘red zone’

Punjab

The Punjab government on Tuesday approved the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to provide security and declare it a red zone. According to the details, the anti-graft body requested the Punjab government declare its Lahore office as a red zone on March 25 and 26 due to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-president Maryam … Read more

“Days Of The ‘Selected’ Govt. Has Been Counted”: Maulana Fazl

Maulana Announces To Postpone Long March Against Govt

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has on Sunday said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has become the tool of the ‘selected’ PTI government.

Commenting on PML-N’s Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Maulana Fazl said that there are no justifiable reasons found for the cancellation of Maryam Nawaz’s bail appeal.

He said that the incumbent government and fake leaders are trying to overcome their incompetency by taking revenge from the Opposition.

The JUI-F leader further lamented that the ‘days of of the ‘selected’ government has been counted.

He added, “The puppet rulers are using the NAB as a political weapon.”

“It is a vicious conspiracy to run the judiciary on the lines of the NAB and we severely condemned it,” he said.

Earlier, Maulana Fazlur Rehman had said that the government should admit incompetence and resign, adding that religious schools should be allowed to continue their educational activities with precautionary measures.

He had added that educational institutions should be allowed to resume educational activities. Government educational institutions close in June, July and August every year.

The JUI chief further had said that religious madrassas stopped their activities as soon as the virus came to Pakistan. The government is not providing any facility on the issue of dead bodies of overseas Pakistanis.

He had also paid tribute to the front line warriors including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and security personnel.

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Murad Ali Shah Summoned by accountability court on March 31

girl

An accountability court in Islamabad has summoned Chief Minister (CM) of Sindh Murad Ali Shah in an alleged illegal award of contracts in Nooriabad power plant and money laundering charges on March 31. As per details, a reference was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) according to which Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah is … Read more

“PDM is a caravan without any destination,” says the Foreign Minister

FM Qureshi Expresses Grief Over Death Of Pakistanis In Canada House Fire

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has on Saturday criticized the opposition’s 11-member alliance for constantly changing its position and internal differences. He also termed Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) “a caravan without any destination”.

Addressing a public meeting in Multan, FM Qureshi said that an alliance based on personal interest never meets success. He maintained that PDM was earlier talking about resigning from assemblies, then holding a long march, and now a no-confidence movement.

Qureshi further said that the PML-N leaders could not mislead the people by telling lies as they had already been exposed before the masses.

The government will complete its constitutional term, added the Foreign Minister.

FM Qureshi reiterated the incumbent government will not grant any NRO to the corrupt leaders who had plundered the national wealth.

Earlier, Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said that it is unnatural and inappropriate to link National Accountability Burea (NAB) with PTI.

He had said NAB itself is an independent body, it has nothing to do with the government.

PTI was not involved in the appointment of NAB chairman and the law under which NAB was operating was not made by PTI, he had added.

He further added that NRO is the name of relief under the guise of which he wanted to move forward while in every civilized society no one is above the law.

Further targeting the Opposition, the Foreign Minister added that the alliance of the PDM is unnatural, and is destined to disintegrate.

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Shahid Khaqan fails to respond questionnaire of NAB: sources

Shahid Khaqan

Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has on Saturday failed to respond to the questionnaire of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in illegal appointment case.

The anti-corruption watchdog has sought a response from Abbasi in its questionnaire regarding the appointment of Adnan Gilani as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL).

According to sources, the PML-N leader asked NAB to give him access to the relevant records.

In his letter to the anti-graft watchdog, he said that it was difficult to submit a response of the questionnaire until getting access to the relevant records.

The NAB had questioned Khaqan Abbasi regarding the appointment of Adnan Gilani as PLL CEO despite having reservations raised by the Prime Minister Office (PMO) and Establishment Division.

Earlier on January 2, the NAB had sent a 10-point questionnaire to the former premier.

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Khawaja Asif sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand in assets case

Khawaja Asif judicial remand

An accountability court in Lahore rejected National Accountability Bureau (NAB) request seeking a 15-day extension in the physical remand of PML-N leader Khawaja Asif and sent him on a 14-day judicial remand instead.

The PML-N leader was arrested late December last year from outside the residence of Ahsan Iqbal where he had come to attend a party meeting. NAB said Khawaja Asif has been arrested in  a case pertaining to accumulating assets beyond known sources of income.

During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor sought physical remand of Khawaja Asif. He said that millions of rupees had been deposited in different bank accounts of the accused, whereas, Rana Abdul Waheed had deposited Rs30 million.

When the persons got interrogated, they said that Asif had given the cash to deposit it to the accounts, he added.

Khawaja Asif had not disclosed the sources of income to get Rs280 million in his accounts, whereas, he also failed to provide satisfactory answers for making Rs60 million investments in different companies.

In 2009, Rs100 million had been deposited to his account from a foreign country, the prosecutor said.

The judge remarked that NAB is responsible for holding investigation and it should tell the court about the information it collected from a foreign company.

To this, NAB prosecutor said that the company’s owner is Asif’s friend and he is summoned on January 28.

The defence lawyer argued that the investigators want Asif to carry out his own investigation.

However, the court ordered the authorities to produce Khawaja Asif on February 7 again. Later, the jail officials left the accountability court along with the PML-N leader.

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Chairman NAB says, “The bureau only acts in accordance with law, exercises”

Chairman NAB

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal has on Wednesday said NAB is aware that businessmen are the backbone of any economy.

NAB Chairman said that the authority is aware of the importance of the business community and would never take steps to violate their rights.

He asked, “Why would we take a step that would violate the rights of a businessman then?”

Iqbal added that the stock exchange would not show a positive trend as it has been, if NAB was creating problems for the business community.

He expressed these views after distributing cheques of Rs760 million among 3,000 affectees of Model Housing Enclave and Ferozpur Housing Society.

‘Record recoveries made in two years’

Appreciating the performance of NAB Lahore, Iqbal said that distribution of millions of rupees — recovered from suspects in a short span of two years — among affectees is laudable.

“When NAB’s history will be recorded, today will be remembered because in only 24 months, Rs2.5 billion worth of recoveries were made.”

He said the joy and happiness on the faces of affectees had proved that NAB officials were “serving the nation by utilising their energies for returning hard earned money to the affectees.”

He further added that an amount of Rs1.32 billion was also returned to the affectees of other housing society projects during the last two years.

The NAB chairman added more that the Bureau is striving hard to ensure complete implementation of the rule of law.

He said those who only criticize NAB must know that criticism must have “some foundation”.

The Bureau chairman said that some elements try to engage in propaganda against NAB but despite that, the Bureau will continue to work “purely on merit”.

Iqbal said that criticism for the sake of criticism is not justified and there should always be constructive criticism.

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NAB indicts Murad Ali Shah in corruption reference

Murad Ali Shah NAB corruption

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has on Tuesday filed a corruption reference against Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah over alleged misuse of power in province’s energy-related projects.

The anti-corruption watchdog filed a corruption reference against Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah in an accountability court of Islamabad.

He is facing charges of misusing the power in the disbursement of funds for energy-related projects in Sindh, according to the reference filed by NAB.

The NAB reference says that unregulated funds released for energy projects in Sindh. Billions were misappropriated in the Nooriabad Power Company and Sindh Transmission & Dispatch Company projects.

However, in the reference, 17 persons, including Sindh Chief Minister and Abdul Ghani Majeed have been indicted.

In October last year, it emerged that Murad Ali Shah and over 12 provincial cabinet members are on the radar of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) under corruption charges in separate cases.

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