Asad Mehmood, son of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) party, skipped a second summons from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday. The anti-graft agency had asked him to appear before its investigation team over alleged irregularities in appointments made during his time as a federal minister in 2022-23.
What the notice concerns
NAB wants Asad Mehmood to explain his position on alleged irregularities in 4,252 appointments at Pakistan Post. He served as a federal minister in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government during 2022-23, the period the case covers. The matter is at the investigation stage, and the allegations have not been decided.
A source in the bureau said Asad Mehmood did not comply with the first notice, issued on November 10. The NAB Rawalpindi/Islamabad Regional Office then served a second notice asking him to appear on Friday, but he did not visit the office, the source said.
What happens next
According to sources, NAB will soon serve a third notice. If he ignores it too, the bureau could take stern action, including arrest. NAB is the country's anti-graft watchdog, which looks into corruption cases involving people in public office.
In such cases, NAB usually issues second and third notices before it moves to punitive steps, the sources said. Those steps can include arresting the accused if all notices are ignored.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- November 10: NAB issued the first notice to Asad Mehmood over the Pakistan Post appointments.
- Friday: he skipped the second summons to appear before the investigation team.
- Next: a third notice is expected soon, according to sources.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Maulana Fazlur Rehman ke bete Asad Mehmood ne Friday ko NAB ka doosra notice bhi nazarandaz kar diya. Yeh case Pakistan Post mein 4,252 appointments ke baray mein hai, jin par 2022-23 mein federal minister ke doran ilzaam hai. Sources ke mutabiq NAB jald teesra notice bhejega, aur agar woh bhi nazarandaz hua to giraftari sameit sakht karwai ho sakti hai. Aam shehri ke liye iska matlab yeh hai ke sarkari bharti ke mamlon par nigrani barh rahi hai, aur aage ki kaarwai se pata chalega ke case kis raah par jaata hai.
