Former Chairman Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) Moen Aftab Sheikh, ex-Director Commercial Sameen Asghar, and other accused in multi-billion PSM scam and will face the accountability court. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) approved on Thursday, three references relating to the PSM scam during Executive Board meeting, which was presided over by the Chairman NAB, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry. NAB is likely to file three references relating to PMS scam and one reference regarding Pakistan Railways in a day or two in the accountability court, a NAB official said.
He said the bureau has decided to file two references about sale of PSM products at cheap rates against accused Moen Aftab Sheikh, Sameen Asghar and others, who have allegedly given illegal benefits to private firms to the tune of Rs 506.67 million, and Rs 311.378 million respectively, causing a huge loss to the PSM and the national exchequer. In the third reference, accused Sameen Asghar and others are alleged to have extended a free credit scheme to private firms, causing a loss of Rs 13.66 million, he claimed.
Following inordinate delay in the investigation, the case was transferred from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to the NAB on the direction of Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had directed NAB on May 16, 2012 to appoint a team to investigate the multi-billion mega scam and file a reference within three months, to determine the allegations against the individuals responsible for the losses, so as to take immediate steps to recover the looted money.
He said that Saeed Akhtar, former GM Operations Pakistan Railways, and Ahsan Mahmood, former Director, were accused in another reference relating to US $3.78 million Pakistan Railways scam. The NAB board also authorised investigation into KPK Police”s Weapon Purchase scam, he said.
