LAHORE (92 News) – The year 2019 was like a revolving door for the corrupt people as many politicians and bureaucrats walked in and out of prison on charges of corruption.
The National Accountability Bureau proceedings are continued on the slogan of “accountability for all” and majority of the lawmakers, and bureaucrats, imprisoned earlier this year, have now been able to secure a bail bond from court. Others still remain behind bars.
Here is a look back at the most high-profile arrests.
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Asif Ali Zardari
Former president Asif Ali Zardari was arrested in July by the NAB in connection to a money laundering case and released on bail this month of December. Zardari is accused of setting up fake bank accounts and siphoning billions of rupees out of the country.
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Maryam Nawaz
On August 8, the corruption watchdog body arrested PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz Sharif in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. NAB suspected Maryam of involvement in money laundering. Maryam was granted bail by Lahore High Court (LHC) on November 4.
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Rana Sanaullah
The Anti-Narcotics Force (
ANF) on July 1 arrested PML-N senior leader Rana Sanaullah, claiming that they had recovered a large stash of contraband from him. Today, Rana Sanaullah released from camp jail.
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Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
On July 18, the NAB arrested former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. He was accused of illegally awarding a contract for an LNG terminal and he is still serving in jail.
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Miftah Ismail
Former finance minister
Miftah Ismail was arrested on August 7 by the NAB after IHC rejected his pre-arrest bail and today released on bail from Adiala jail.
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Faryal Talpur
Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur, was arrested on June 14 by NAB. Talpur along with her brother was accused of laundering money through fake bank accounts. NAB is investigating four cases where the former president and his sister are the prime accused.
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Hamza Shahbaz
Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shahbaz, was arrested on June 11 by NAB in the Ramzan Sugar Mills money laundering case and for allegedly owning assets beyond his means.
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Khursheed Shah
NAB arrested senior leader of PPP Khursheed Shah on September 18. He was accused of allotting himself an amnesty plot illegally from a cooperative society in Sukkur. He is also accused of acquiring assets worth some Rs700 million in the names of his frontmen through ill-gotten money.
On December 17, an accountability court granted bail to the PPP leader against surety bonds worth Rs5 million.
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Aleem Khan
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf stalwart Aleem Khan was arrested on February 6 by NAB. Soon after his arrest, Aleem resigned from the post of Punjab local government minister.
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Agha Siraj Durrani
On February 20, the NAB arrested Sindh Assembly Speaker and PPP leader Agha Siraj Durrani. He was accused in three cases pertaining to illegal appointments, accumulating assets beyond means and embezzlement of funds.
After almost a year, on December 12, the SHC granted bail to Durrani and asked him to submit sureties of Rs1 million and his passport to the court. It was also ordered that his name be added to the ECL.
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Ahsan Iqbal
PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal was arrested on December 23 by NAB as he appeared before it in relation to a corruption case. According to NAB spokesman, the authority arrested the PML-N leader in relation to the Narowal Sports City Complex case.
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Khawaja Saad Rafique
NAB on December 11, 2018 arrested PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique in connection to the Paragon Housing Society scam, after the Lahore High Court rejected their bail plea.
“The accused has been and is continuously obtaining illegal/ illegitimate funds/benefits from said project as he obtained 40 kanal plots in his own name and the name of his brother Salman Rafique,” said NAB.
