While hearing a contempt petition on Monday, the Lahore Hight Court sought replies from the National Accountability Bureau, Rawalpindi, to explain its failure in holding an inquiry into an alleged embezzlement case. The contempt petition was filed against NAB for not probing the alleged embezzlement in the illegal sales of properties of Pakistani embassies in Japan and Indonesia. Justice Umar Ata Bandial directed the chairman and director general of NAB, Rawalpindi, to file their replies till February 22. Dr Qaiser Rashid moved the petition, alleging that NAB authorities failed to conduct an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement, in violation of the court’s order. In his previous petition, Rashid had submitted that a local newspaper published a news item on April 28, 2010, claiming that former president Pervez Musharraf sold gifted property ‘for peanuts’. According to the report, on February 18, 2002 former ambassador to Indonesia Maj Gen (retd) Mustafa Anwar misused his authority by selling the buildings of the embassy and residence of the ambassador at throwaway prices, fetching huge financial kickbacks from the deal. The property had been gifted by then Indonesian president Soekarno to Pakistan but was sold under the pretext of a directive issued by then chief executive Musharraf. The deal was concluded through a company, owned by the ambassador’s Indonesian wife. The petitioner alleged that the property was sold at a throwaway price to give benefit to a Japanese company Nomura Real Estate, and in return the embassy staff received kickbacks.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/326271/sale-of-jakarta-embassy-building-nab-on-notice/