Rental power projects case: AJK legislator sent to jail on judicial remand

Raja Zulqarnain is facing corruption charges for making contractual arrangement between the govt and a Turkish company

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Monday sent a member of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)’s Legislative Assembly to jail on judicial remand in rental power projects case.

Judge Nisar Baig sent Raja Babar Ali Zulqarnain, who is also the son of the former AJK president, to jail on judicial remand after the officials of the anti-graft body produced him before the court on expiry of his physical remand.

Zulqarnain was arrested on January 21 from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) following the dismissal of his bail application in the case.

According to the anti-graft body, Zulqarnain made the contractual arrangement between the federal government and the company for electricity supply through ship-mounted power facility.

He was appointed to act as a local representative for the Karkey Karadeniz Elektrik Uretim — a Turkish company, which set up a power plant onboard a ship berthed at the Karachi port — to provide electricity to the national grid and logistical support to the visiting representatives of the company.

The NAB submitted a reference in the accountability court after investigating Zulqarnain and 27 others for corruption and misuse of authority.

Earlier, the bureau had directed Zulqarnain to provide details of remuneration and any other payments from the company into his bank account, the record of taxes on payments received, the employment contract with the company, and details of meeting held with government officials on behalf of the company.

Zulqarnain’s counsel had informed the court that his client had made expenses on behalf of the company for the establishment of a local office, and the same were reimbursed.

The counsel had maintained that Zulqarnain had not only appeared before the investigation officer several times but reiterated the information already provided and resubmitted the documents in the case.

He had alleged that the bureau was coercing Zulqarnain to become approver and witness of the prosecution, which was unacceptable for him.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2016.