ISALAMABAD: Ayaz Niazi, former chairman National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL), involved in a multi-billion-rupee scam, has tried to kill two birds with one stone.
In his statement before Federal Investigation Agency he has not only blamed Transparency International for blackmailing him but has also not named the scions of high and the mighty with whom Niazi enjoyed good connections and whose names were being taken for their alleged involvement in the NICL scandal.
Niazi, in his statement to FIA, has revealed that Transparency International Pakistan offered to help him clear his name in corruption cases with the Supreme Court, if he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the watchdog. Niazi has also disclosed that one Qasim Amin Dada tried to convince his colleagues to strike a deal with TI representatives.
Chairman Transparency International Pakistan termed this statement as twisting of facts because the high and the mighty were involved in the scandal.
Zafar Qureshi, the Investigating Director FIA Punjab probing the NICL scam while talking to The News said that FIA has recorded a 30-page statement of Ayaz Niazi in which there are many things and FIA has tracked many accounts on his revelations.
We will verify all the allegations hurled by Naizi,” said Zafar Qureshi adding that if Niazi is saying something it does not mean that those things are true.
He mentioned that so far FIA has traced many bank accounts but there is no evidence of involvement of any scion of any high profile personality. He said that normally FIA investigates the statements in such corruption cases by verifying the facts and by calling those people against whom allegations have been levelled.
Chairman Transparency International Pakistan, Syed Adil Gilani, when contacted said that Ayaz Niazi’s statement was a move to give a twist to the facts. He said that Niazi has alleged that TIP had assured his clearance in case NICL signs MoU with it whereas it was impossible that TIP could influence the Supreme Court.
“Niazi has tried to hit the credibility of the Supreme Court by hurling such an allegation,” alleged Adil Gilani adding: “How could TIP get a corrupt official clear when the chief justice of Pakistan was hearing a case”. He mentioned that Ayaz Niazi has talked about one Amin Dada, a missing link, who had made the alleged offer at the behest of TIP.
Regarding MoU, the chairman TIP said that signing of MoU had nothing to do with award of contract and tendering process. “Signing MoU with TIP means that the institution will adhere to the PPRA 2004 rules,” said Adil. He mentioned that TIP has signed MoUs with many organisations and one wonders how this MoU would have been meant for award of contract or used as blackmail.
He said that TIP wrote a letter to Supreme Court regarding NICL corruption and that letter was converted into a petition and TIP was made a party to the case by the SC. He mentioned that TIP, being the watchdog, contested the case in the apex court and proved its case.
It is worth mentioning here that Ayaz Khan Niazi, former chairman NICL bought around 803 kanals of land on very high rates from Mohsin Warraich s/o ex-federal minister Habibullah Warraich. The cost of the land was Rs200,000 per kanal, but Niazi bought it at Rs2,100,000 per kanal in all paying Rs1.5 billion for the land. The SC took up the case and Niazi was shown the door who is now in the custody of law-enforcement agencies facing corruption charges
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