ISLAMABAD - Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in a major development has traced the name of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stalwart and Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Faheem as another beneficiary in Rs 5 billion mega corruption scam alleging that he pocketed Rs 24.4 million out of the embezzled money. Deputy Director FIA Karachi Region Altaf Hussain told National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce that an amount of Rs 24.4 (2,44,00000) millions was transferred into the joint account of Makhdoom Amin Faheem and Jalil-uz-Zaman from the accounts of Khalid Anwar, an accused in the NICL scam. FIA in its briefing given to the committee told that NICL purchased 10 acre land in Korangi Karachi from Khaild Anwar at Rs 900 million, which was much more than the actual value of the land. Later, NESPAK evaluated the price of the land at Rs 412.6 million and it revealed that Rs 487.4 million was overpaid in the deal. Deputy Director FIA Altaf Hussain said the embezzled money went into the accounts of Khalid Anwar and later it was transferred into 19 different accounts, out of which the FIA also traced a joint account of Makhdoom Amin Faheem and a private person. However, FIA failed to satisfy the committee on a question that whether it investigated Makhdoom Amin Faheem and Jalil-uz-Zaman. We had contacted Makhdoom Amin Faheem and FIA was waiting for his reply, Deputy Director FIA said. He also could not answer about the identity of Lalil-uz-Zaman. FIA official said Khalid Anwar made the deal through Khawaja Akbar, allegedly a front man of Ayaz Khan Niazi, former chairman NICL and main accused in the scam. Khawaja Akbar allegedly got Rs 300 million from the deal as kickbacks, he added. FIA informed the committee that NICL purchased four properties worth approximately Rs 5 billion within a few months in mid-2009, of which at least Rs 2.42 billion was embezzled. Khalid Anwar through his lawyer has offered to return approximate Rs 490 million in installments in five years along with interest rate, however, the matter will decide the court, Altaf Hussain said. Deputy Director Federal Investigation Agency Lahore Region Javed Hussain said the NICL purchased 803 kanal land in Lahore from Mohsin Habib Warraich at Rs 1.68 billon as much as 600 per cent exorbitant price than the actual one. We had frozen the accounts of Mohsin Habib Warriach worth Rs 1.12 billion and the accused have given cheques of Rs 560 millions, Federal Investigation Agency official said adding that thus FIA succeeded to recover 100 per cent amount. About 20 kanal Lahore Airport Land, Deputy Director FIA said the NICL purchased the land at Rs 1.06 billion and that was later evaluated by NEPAK at Rs 562.5 million with the differential amount of Rs 502.8 millions as embezzled money. Mohsin Habib Warriach has been ready to pay the differential amount through cheques through a court settlement, FIA official said. Deputy Director FIA also elaborated the role of Moonis Elahi in NICL scam. However, he said Elahi had not confessed his guilt during investigations adding that his role in the scam was obvious. The committee rejected the explanations of two previous additional secretaries of Ministry of Commerce, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, incumbent secretary Ministry of Interior and Shafqat Naghmi, who served as ex-offcio of NICL Board when these embezzlements were made. Kashmala Tariq, one of the committee members, questioned as to why these two secretaries were not arrested when other board members had been booked by Federal Investigation Agency. The committee also sought complete record from the Ministry of Commerce including summaries sent to Prime Minister for the appointment of Ayaz Niazi as chairman NICL to ascertain that who appointed him at this post. The committee members also snubbed Secretary Ministry of Commerce many times for derailing its agenda.