FAZAL SHER

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has authorized an inquiry against Haroon Akhtar Khan, special assistant to Prime Minister and his brother Ghazi Akhtar, Director and Chief Executive Officer of M/s Tandlianwala Sugar Mills (Pvt) Limited on a transaction of $6.9 million.

Sources said that NAB received a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) lodged under the provisions of AML Act, 2010 by the State Bank of Pakistan (Financial Monitoring Unit) against Haroon Akhtar former MPA and Senator and Ghazi Akhtar.

The STR states that a high volume of foreign remittances in the accounts of the two brothers was received followed by their transfer to the company account of M/s Tandlianwala Sugar Mills Ltd.

The NAB Executive Board Meeting (EBM) on June 16, presided over by the Bureau chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, ordered an inquiry against the management of M/s Tandlianwala Sugar Mills (Pvt) Limited and others in the transaction of $6.9 million.

The sources said that NAB has summoned Haroon Akhtar Khan to justify the transaction. He has also been asked to reveal who remitted the money and the terms and conditions under which this huge amount was received.

Haroon Akhtar has submitted his statement before NAB and the authorities are analyzing it.

Ghazi Akhtar Khan and Haroon Akhtar are working at Tandlianwala Sugar Mills Limited as Chief Executive Officer and Director, respectively. The company is listed with Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and is involved in production of white crystalline sugar.

Sources further revealed that Ghazi Akhtar Khan is also serving as Managing Director and Haroon Akhtar Khan is a Director in M/s Riaz Bottlers (Pvt.) Ltd., which is a franchise holder of M/s Pepsi Cola International in Punjab.