PESHAWAR: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa arrested accused Nawabzada Mehmood Zeb Ex-minister for Mineral Development Department, Technical Education, Manpower, and Industries Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along-with nine officials of Administration and Mineral Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa allegedly involved in illegal allotment of government reservoirs of phosphate to Rukhsana Javed school teacher and thus caused a colossal loss of approximately Rs 360.00 million.
Spokesman NAB Saadullah Khan told Customs Today accused Shah Wali Khan, the then Secretary to the Government KP Technical Education, Manpower, Industries and Mineral Development, Asmatullah Khan Gandapur, the then Additional Secretary Mineral Development Department KP presently Commissioner Bannu Division, Farhad Ali, the then Section Officer. Accused Khan Badsha the then Deputy Director Mineral Deptt, Nauroz Khan Senior Geologist, Directorate General of Mines and Mineral, Ziarat Khan Senior Inspector of Mines presently Commissioner Mines, Shakirullah the then Director Licensing Mineral Deptt, Pervez Khan, Assistant Director (Litigation) Mineral Deptt, and Ehtisham-ul-Mulk, Assistant Director Technical College Hayatabad Peshawar.
During the course of inquiry/investigation it was revealed that Sarhad Development Authority held an area of 1200 acres of phosphate under Mining Lease from 1985 to 2005. The area was surrendered back in 2005 and was required to be put through open auction being proven despite as per Mining Concession Rules (MCR) 2005. A lady school teacher namely Rukhsana Javed applied for prospecting license (PL) of the above stated land in 2004 however that application was rejected. The lady went into litigation against the department for the said rejection.
However in 2008 Mehmood Zeb in connivance with other co-accused including Accused Shah Wali Khan, the then Secretary and Asmatullah Khan Gandapur, the then Additional Secretary and others went beyond the lawful limits for ensuring the unlawful allotment of 500 acres to Rukhsana Javed through PL. The then Minister used to issue illegal directives to the officials regarding the processing of this specific PL as per his wishes despite rejection already approved from his department as evident from the record.
All the other accused persons used to get directives from the Minister regarding the processing of this specific PL and paved the way for his malafide intensions. Taking a total U turn, the department accepted the offer of settlement from the lady and constituted an illegal settlement committee on the orders of Secretary. The committee interestingly recommended 500 acres from the above stated 1200 acres for prospecting license to the lady in exchange for withdrawal of court cases. In total contravention of the rules of business Mehmood Zeb chairing a meeting on 01-01-2009 approved the illegal recommendations of the above committee. Vested interests of the Minister was evident from the fact that even before approval of the said lease agreement was signed between the lady (lessee) and Ehtisham-ul-Mulk front man and cousin of the Minister.
In nutshell accused Mehmood Zeb the then Minister and all other accused persons misused their authorities in the illegal allotment of 500 acres of proven deposit of phosphate to Rukhana Javed who illegally excavated phosphate in collaboration with Ehtisham-ul-Mulk the first cousin of the then Minister and jointly caused a loss of Rs.360.00 Million to the National Exchequer.
The accused persons will be produced before the Accountability Court Peshawar for obtaining their physical remand.
