ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Thursday directed the Bureau to expedite the process of obtaining records and information required in connection with an inquiry of 435 alleged offshore companies of Pakistanis in Panama and British Virgin Island.
Chairing a meeting to review progress on the initial inquiry into these offshore companies, the chairman NAB said the process to get relevant information from Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should be quickened.
The chairman further directed the Bureau to conduct an inquiry without pressure or influence and complete inquiry on merit which is based on evidence and law, he added.
The persons who own offshore companies in Panama and the British Virgin Islands included FBR former chairman Abdullah Yousaf who owns Green Deal Management and Greenwood Investor, Shahid Abdullah and Shayan Abdullah who own Greenwood Investor, Usman Yousaf who owns Malboro and six companies of Ameer Abdullah.
The chairman directed to get information about the offshore companies of other Pakistanis at the earliest and ask reasons of establishing offshore companies and their sources of income including money trail from owners of offshore companies.
The officers have also been directed to inquire whether money was transferred abroad through banking channels or money laundering.
