The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is said to be under “immense pressure” not to pursue cases of wilful default of bank loans because some leaders of opposition parties and a number of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) stalwarts were among defaulters, Dawn reported on Sunday citing sources.
They alleged that the NAB had put off a meeting scheduled for Wednesday to review default cases because of “government pressure”.
“At present, the government is not interested in any investigation,” the sources said.
Top NAB officials may meet later this week to decide how to deal with the cases of wilful default in the light of new government instructions.
The list which was presented before parliament last year contained names of leaders of all main political parties, including PPP, PML-N and PML-Q.
According to the list, loans of over Rs191 billion were written off between 1997 and 2009. The loans had been obtained by 19,618 borrowers from 33 banks.
The Supreme Court recently asked the government to submit details of bank loans waived since 1971.
On Saturday, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the government would implement the apex court’s decision on NRO in letter and spirit and all law-enforcement agencies would comply with the orders.
“The list of bank defaulters will be released soon and a cell will be set up in the FIA,” he said.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) submitted on Tuesday a list of individuals and organisations who got loans worth Rs193 billion written off between 1997 to 2009.
According to the document, the amount included the principal amount of Rs78 billion, mark-up of Rs31 billion and Rs92 billion losses and other financial expenses.
According to a report recently presented before the Supreme Court by the State Bank, the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) waived the actual amount of the Punjab Sugar Mills owned by Chaudhry Shujaat Husssain, Chaudhry Mansoor Elahi, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chaudhry Gulzar Mohammad, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, Chaudhry Sabhat Elahi and others. Another outstanding loan taken by the same mills was written off by the United Bank Limited (UBL). The UBL again wrote off loan outstanding against the Spaco Private Limited and here also the beneficiaries were Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Shujaat Hussain, Manzoor Elahi, Wajahat Hussain and others.
Other beneficiaries included Gohar Ayub Khan’s family, former Balochistan chief minister Jam Yousuf, former housing minister Abbas Sarfraz, Lt-Gen Habibullah, Brig M. Jan, Saifullah family of Lakki Marwat, including Anwar Saifullha Khan, Javed Saifullah, Humayun Saifullah, Arbab Saddaullah Khan, Mrs Kalsoom Saifullah, Barjees Tahir, Jafar Khan Leghari, Jamil Ahmed Khan Leghari, Yousuf Khan Leghari, Tariq Khan Leghari and Atta Mohammad Leghari. (Source: DAWN)
