REFERENCE / COMPLAINT NO. 3/2006

Reference dated May 15, 2006 – OPF Housing Scheme

The Chairman,
National Accountability Bureau,
President’s Secretariat,
Islamabad. 

Pakistan Peoples Party……………………………………….. COMPLAINANT  

                                                                 VS  

1. Mr. Ghulam Sarwar, Federal Minister for Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis, Pak Secretariat Islamabad.

2. Mr. Owais Ahmad Ghani Ex Federal Minister for Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis, Pak Secretariat Islamabad.

3. Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad Ex Federal Minister for Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis, Pak Secretariat Islamabad.

4. Mr. Rashid Mehmood Ansari Ex Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Islamabad.

5. Mr. Shahid Rafi, Ex Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Islamabad.

6. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal Ex Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Islamabad.

7. Mohammad Zafarullah Khan Ex Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Islamabad.

8. Mohammad Ismail Patel Ex Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Islamabad.

                                     …………………………………. Accused / Respondents

Subject:            COMPLAINT UNDER SECTION 5 AND 18 (B) SUB SECTION-II OF THE NATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY BUREAU (NAB) ORDINANCE 1999, AGAINST THE HOLDERS OF PUBLIC OFFICE FOR PUNISHMENT UNDER SECTION 10 OF NAB ORDINANCE FOR CAUSING HUGE FINANCIAL LOSS TO THE NATIONAL EXCHEQUER BY CORRUPTION AND CORRUPT PRACTICES  

FACTS AND GROUNDS:  

1.      That the respondents were deeply involved in corruption of billions of rupees in the name of OPF Housing Scheme as the land was purchased three to four times above the market rate.  

2.      That Mr Khalid Latif Managing Director OPF said in the Senate sub-committee held on 7 March 2006 that some Federal Ministers and Managing Directors of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation were corrupt and involved in shady deals. 

3.      That the Managing Director Mr.Khalid Latif admitted in the Senate sub Committee meeting that massive corruption took place in the purchase of the land for the housing scheme meant for Overseas Pakistanis. 

4.      That the Managing Director Mr.Khalid Latif said that the Federal Ministers headed the OPF Board of Governors and could get anything approved since no one on the Board dared to oppose a minister's decision. 

5.      That OPF officials get plot from the OPF Housing Scheme measuring 1000 square meters were given at the rate of Rs 300,000/- while Overseas Pakistanis were charged Rs 900.000/- for the same area of land.   

6.      That the money for purchase of land for OPF Housing Scheme was not paid to the owners of the land but was paid to the three property dealers who were front men of the Ministers or MDs of OPF. 

7.      That the OPF misguided the overseas Pakistanis with regard to the housing scheme and collected over Rs 420 million from them and the hard – earned money was squandered mercilessly only to the appetite of corrupt officials of OPF. 

The above facts have been published in daily DAWN dated 8-3-2006 ( Copy attached).

1.      Respondents in this complaint do fall within the ambit of NAB Ordinance 1999 for the purposes of investigation, trial and punishment. 

2.      The Respondents are reportedly guilty of corruption and corrupt practices as defined in Section 9 of the Ordinance and as such are subject to punishment under Section 10 of the Ordinance based upon the above facts and grounds: 

CONCLUSION: 

Based on the above facts and grounds respondents have shown willful indulgence in corrupt practices under Section 9 of the Ordinance. Such persons are subject to punishment under Section 10 of the Ordinance 1999. 

As such the Chairman of the NAB is called upon to initiate investigation in connection with matters set out herein above and further proceed to file a reference against the respondents for violating the provisions of Section 9 of the Ordinance punishable under Section 10 of the Ordinance in Competent court of law and proceed against those concerned for violating Section 9 of the Ordinance.

Complainant

Pakistan Peoples Party 

Through:

Nadeem Hussain Mughal
Advocate 
Dated : 15 May 2006

Senate body detects serious illegalities: OPF Housing Scheme

By Our Staff Reporter
The DAWN dated 8 March 2006

ISLAMABAD, March 7: The sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis has detected serious financial and administrative irregularities in the housing scheme launched by the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) in Islamabad in 1994, Dawn learnt on Tuesday.

In its final report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the sub-committee members expressed their concern over the fact that despite an expenditure of about Rs350 million on the scheme, there was no sign of development even after a lapse of 12 years.

“It has also been observed by the sub-committee that a part of the land is still disputed and several cases are in the courts and the so-called front men, through whom all payments were made, are seen nowhere on the ground,” says the report, a copy of which has also been sent to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for action against those responsible.

The sub-committee, headed by People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Senator Enver Baig, will formally present the report before the main committee on Wednesday. Other members of the sub- committee are Senator Prof Mohammad Saeed Siddiqi and Senator Fauzia Fakharuz Zaman.

“It was also admitted by the OPF managing director that the purchase of land was made three to four times above the market rate of that time,” says the report.

The committee suggests that the prime minister should immediately convene a meeting of the minister concerned, OPF officials and members of the Senate committee with the IGP Islamabad, the chief commissioner and any other law-enforcement agency to find ways to apprehend the land mafia that had taken control of the state land.

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