Pak anti-corruption watchdog chief cleared in graft case

Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog chief today rejoined office after being given a clean chit by the National Accountability Bureau in connection with the Rs 6 billion National Insurance Company scam case.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, had on November 22 ordered the filing of a case against NAB chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry for creating hurdles in the investigation of the NICL corruption case.

According to the directives issued by the apex court, the NAB chairman had been allegedly involved in the illegal appointment of former chairman of NICL, Ayaz Khan Niazi, while working as an additional secretary in the commerce ministry.

Chaudhry had also been accused of creating hindrance in the investigation of NICL scam by removing the head of the investigation team, Zafar Qureshi, an officer of Federal Investigation Agency, while serving as Interior Ministry Secretary.

Following the verdict, he had gone on a long leave citing personal reasons.

The bench ordered the initiation of proceedings under section which refers to "misuses" of authority "so as to gain any benefit or favour" for oneself or for any other person, or "to render or attempt to do so".

The NAB chief had been appointed on October 10 but his appointment had been challenged in the Supreme Court by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and he went on a long leave when the court ordered investigation against him.

According to local media reports, the NAB chief was given a clean chit on Monday by the bureau's executive board at a meeting presided over by acting chairman Rear Admiral Saeed Ahmed Sargana.