Prime suspect in Rs8.5bn Yellow Line graft case under NAB scrutiny

Karachi has seen the legal predicament of prime suspect Zameer Abbasi escalate further, as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) embarks on an investigation into allegations of possessing assets beyond his known income sources and illegal appointments within the Sindh government. This recent effort by NAB follows an inquiry conducted by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Sindh, which had booked Abbasi, the former project director of the Karachi Mobility Project (KMP) and others, in June following a probe into alleged financial mismanagement in the KMP concerning the Yellow Line.

The inquiry committee's report alleged that Abbasi, together with then director procurement Jhaman, made the substantial advance payment of Rs8.5 billion to contractors without the requisite bank guarantees, even though their contracts lacked any provisions for such advances. According to a source, the NAB has sought comprehensive details of Abbasi's assets, including immovable properties registered in his, his wife's, and family members' names, as well as information on his alleged "illegal" appointments and promotions within the Sindh government.

Abbasi's career trajectory has been marked by a complex history intertwined with NAB and the Sindh police. He initially joined NAB and was later transferred to the Sindh police as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Following a Supreme Court directive, he was returned to NAB, where he remained until 2016. In the same year, Abbasi was appointed as a grade-17 section officer, a position that was later contested in court on allegations of irregularities and an out-of-turn promotion.

Despite the court's suspension of his promotion, he was later granted grade 19. In 2022, Abbasi faced another appointment challenge, which was later suspended. He resurfaced in the public eye later that year but was subsequently appointed to another crucial role, though this too was challenged in court and eventually suspended. Following his arrest, Abbasi was produced before a Karachi court, where his bail application was recently rejected by the provincial anti-corruption court.