Corruption case: OGRA chief likely to be deported by the end of February

ISLAMABAD:

The former chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), Tauqir Sadiq, accused of embezzling 82 billion rupees, will be brought back to Pakistan by the end of this month.

The additional prosecutor general of the National Accountability Bureau informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that Sadiq will either be deported or extradited from the United Arab Emirates.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that deportation would be a more sensible option in this case as Sadiq’s passport has already been cancelled.

The three-judge bench adjourned the hearing about the implementation of its earlier order till March 4.

In November 2012, the court had nullified Sadiq’s appointment as OGRA chief after a corruption case surfaced on his misuse of authority in increasing rates for unaccounted for gas.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2013.