NA refers Bawan Shah Group case to Standing Committee

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday referred, the fraud of Rs.20 billion in tax refund paid to Bawan Shah Group of Companies, to standing committee on finance with consent of the house.
A calling attention in this connection was moved by Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Abdul Mujeeb Pirzada, Ch Qamar Zaman Kaira and Khalid Iqbal Memon.
Minister of State for Finance Omer Ayub presenting the detail of the case said that it was a fraud of consignment and not of document. He said Bawan Shah Group were sending three consignments of lather jackets to Iran but when custom staff checked the consignments they found old goods instead of leather jackets. He said it could not be possible without the involvement of appraisals. The initial investigation revealed the involvement of the officials who were suspended while some were under investigation. Omer Ayub said there were many local and foreigners were involved in the case and investigation was conducting here and abroad.

Replying to a question he said, he don't know about exact designation of Raja Zarar the main accused of the case, but according to press reports he was the owner of Bawan Shah Group. Omer Ayub said the case had brought bad name to the country and "we want to see the logical end of the case."

Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Qamar Zaman appreciated the positive response of the Minister of State toward the case and asked the Speaker to send it to Pubic Accounts Committee for investigation and report. The Speaker National Assembly Chaudhary Amir Hussain referred the case to the Standing Committee on Finance to present a report to the house in this connection.