ISLAMABAD: Although the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal has taken a notice of the arrest of Director Archaeology and Museums Dr Abdus Samad, yet the NAB sources said he has been arrested on serious charges of role in missing of expensive archaeological relics and statues and corruption in some projects.

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According to sources in NAB, a campaign has been launched by the sympathisers of the accused Dr Abdus Samad to hinder the Bureau’s efforts. They said the campaigners are adamant on proving the myth that foreign qualified PhDs are not susceptible to any sort of corruption.

The NAB sources claimed the accused Dr Abdus Samad has not only made several illegal appointments but he was also involved in misappropriation of antiques, sculptures and other valuable antiques which is being investigated by a team of highly-qualified experts.

Sources said Dr Abdul Samad remained overall in-charge of the Archaeology Department for the last five years and during the course of investigations it surfaced that some of the antiques worth billions of dollars in museums are either missing or not as per description available in record which raises serious questions concerning their genuineness.

“The accused person has committed gross violation of laws in issuing NOCs of important Archaeological sites causing serious damage to the national heritage,” sources privy to the investigation stated.

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