ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will dispatch more evidence to the US Justice Department, seeking an early handing over of former president of the Bank of Punjab (BoP) Hamesh Khan.
“Hopefully, additional evidence mentioned in the letter of Harry R Marshall of the US Department of Justice will be transmitted within a few days,” a senior NAB mandarin told The News on Friday.
The NAB Lahore office, he said, had prepared the brief in the Rs 9 billion fraud and it was under examination before the NAB headquarters.“After we send these proofs, the US Justice Department would decide the timing and modus operandi of shifting of Hamesh Khan to Pakistan.”
He said the most impeccable proof was the statement of Sheikh Afzal of Haris Steel, who was arrested by the Pakistani authorities from Malaysia, before the Supreme Court in which the accused said Hamesh got a bribe of Rs 400 million while other BoP executives received big amounts from him to sanction the hefty loan.
He said a joint team of the NAB and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was likely to be sent to the United States for the purpose.The official said the US Justice Department’s communications were addressed only to NAB and no other department and, therefore, “It is our obligation to respond with what the US authorities want to be furnished” to pave the way to get the custody of Hamesh Khan.
NAB Chairman Naveed Ahsan, Prosecutor General Danishwar Malik, Deputy Prosecutor General Abdul Baseer Qureshi and Additional Director Zafar Iqbal Khan (who is pursuing the case) held repeated sessions to cobble together more evidence after getting Lahore office’s feedback.
Asked about the details, he said in categorical terms the Haris Steel Mills owner Sheikh Afzal’s statement and written commitments before the Supreme Court (SC) and the SC orders to the NAB and other government agencies would be the basis of additional evidence.
“We have started work and may not avail of leaves on Saturday and Sunday (weekly holidays) to step up the work in view of urgency as Hamesh has been formally arrested and the US Justice Department has sought more information.”
The foreign office spokesman has already confirmed Pakistan’s official request to Washington conveyed last Thursday for Khan’s extradition after the NAB received information the same morning about his arrest. He cleared the Pak-US extradition treaty does not exist and all depends on case-to-case basis particularly after Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Act was passed by the US Congress.......... click here for more news
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