Multi-billion rupee scam: NAB grills Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar over OGRA case

Gilani fails to turn up for investigation despite 3 notices.

LAHORE:

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) grilled former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and former federal minister Syed Naveed Qamar on Monday for a multi-billion-rupee Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) corruption case, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, in his capacity as a former minister for water and power and Syed Naveed Qamar as a former minister for petroleum and natural resources were summoned by NAB for Tauqir Sadiq’s alleged illegal appointment as OGRA chairman, who is wanted for a corruption scam.

During the investigation, the NAB team questioned Ashraf regarding Sadiq’s appointment as chairman OGRA, who issued CNG station licences in bulk despite a ban while he was in office.



Defending the move, Ashraf informed the NAB team that summaries relating to 200 CNG stations were issued following guidelines by OGRA and ministry of petroleum and natural resources as marketing licences of 200 CNG stations were pending since 2006.

NAB had issued notices to the former prime ministers — Raja Pervez Ashraf, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani — and the minister, respectively, under sections 19 and 27 of National Accountability Ordinance, 1999. On Monday, Raja and Qamar appeared before NAB but Gilani did not despite three notices.

The bureau has decided to approach the accountability court shortly so that a warrant can be issued to Gilani under section 17, sources said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2013.