PHOTO: EXPRESS
The bureau had asked him to appear before a combined investigations team at NAB Complex Thokar Niaz Beg on Monday. NAB would decide the future plan of action for Shehbaz later on.
PSPC was one of the 56 companies established by PML-N government in Punjab during their tenure which started in 2008.
Chairperson Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, after taking over his office in November 2017, ordered a probe into the 56 companies over allegations of embezzlement, corruption, and irregularities.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan had also taken a suo motu notice on the absence of clean drinking water facilities. During the case, it came forth that corruption, nepotism and illegal appointments were reported on a massive scale in the company. It was also highlighted that not a single drop of water could be provided to the public despite the spending of millions of rupees.
In April this year, NAB arrested four accused persons for their alleged involvement in reported misappropriation of millions of rupees in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company (PSPC). They were identified as Nasir Qadir, Dr Zaheerul Din, Muhammad Saleem and Muhammad Masood Akhtar. According to NAB, Qadir worked as a chief procurement officer in PSPC.
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Dr Zaheerul Din was appointed as a chief technical officer of the project while Akhtar worked with the company as a procurement and contract specialist. Akhtar, KSB Pumps managing director, has been affiliated with the company as a contractor.
The accused, in connivance with each other, caused loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer, the graft watchdog claimed. They installed 116 water filtration plants at exorbitant rates in Bahawalpur and mentioned false estimates of the plants in documents. NAB had also grilled Hamza Shehbaz, the former CM’s son-in-law Imran Ali, former health secretary Ali Jan and others in the case.
NAB chairman visit
Despite serious threats and challenges being faced by NAB, the bureau will file references of different mega corruption cases in the coming days, said NAB Chairperson Justice Javed Iqbal.
During his visit to the NAB Complex Lahore on Monday, he was briefed by Director General NAB Lahore Saleem Shahzad and other officers about the progress in the ongoing cases.
Speaking on the occasion, NAB chief said that he was proud that the bureau reopened mega corruption cases that were catching rusting and even made encouraging progress.
The bureau's chairperson said that NAB had nothing to do with the elections. He added that NAB considered only the protection of the interests of Pakistan as its prime responsibility and their prime role was the eradication of corruption.
He said alleged embezzlement worth millions of rupees was done by officials in 56 companies of the province. He also appreciated NAB Lahore for its performance as the bureau recovered and returned Rs16 billion to victims and also busted 1,328 accused persons over the last seven months.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 26th, 2018.
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