NAB quizzes CM Murad in Roshan Sindh case

CM says he appeared before anti-graft body to avoid ‘unnecessary media hype’

ISLAMABAD: The country’s top anti-graft body on Thursday questioned Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in connection with the alleged illegal awarding of contracts for installing solar street lights in the province.

The National Accountability Bureau claims that several companies won contracts worth billions of rupees for the ‘Roshan Sindh’ programme by paying bribes to the tune of Rs90 million.

The probe into the programme is among others taking place as part of the investigation into the mega fake accounts scandal.

Murad was accompanied by PPP leaders Qamar Zaman Kaira, Murtaza Wahab, Nasir Shah, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.

Senior PPP leaders had advised the chief minister to appear before the anti-corruption body.

Speaking to reporters after being questioned by NAB, the Sindh chief minister said he had not appeared before the anti-graft body out of fear of arrest but because he did not want the media to create an ‘unnecessary hype’.

“I was asked about why the scheme was approved even though it was not included in the budget,” he said.

“I told them that a scheme, which had not been discussed [during the budget debate], could be approved later according to the Constitution,” he added.

“The assembly had approved the Roshan Sindh programme [after the budget].”

The chief minister further said NAB officials had not handed over any questionnaire to him, but he would respond to it if they decided to give him one later.

Without mentioning the federal government, Murad maintained “mixed signals” were responsible for citizens not taking precautionary measures and following standard operating procedures (SOPs) to stem the spread of Covid-19.

“I don’t blame the people [for not following guidelines],” he said.

“One person says it [Covid-19] is dangerous while another says it’s just flu and you will be fine,” he added, referring to the statements of the State Minister for Health Dr Zafar Mirza and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The chief minister said the federal government was worried about the economic impact of the lockdown, but if the poor died of the disease there would be nobody to take care of their children.

“People must be given a single, unified message that this [Covid-19 is a dangerous disease.”

Murad was summoned by NAB a few months ago in connection with the case but he had not appeared before the anti-graft watchdog.

The Roshan Sindh scheme was approved in 2014 during the tenure of former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah to install 20,000 solar lights by June 2016 in major municipal and town committees across the province at a cost of Rs4 billion.

Another project, estimated at Rs3 billion, was meant to install solar lights in rural areas. This project was approved on the October 26, 2016, and was supposed to be completed by June 2018.

A third project, with a price tag of Rs1.5 billion, was touted as the second phase of the earlier scheme to install solar lights in rural areas.

Last year, Qaim Ali Shah also appeared before NAB and submitted answers to 20 questions in the Roshan Sindh programme case.