Corruption case: NAB summons Gilani in OGRA scam

Managing directors of SSGC, SNGPL also summoned.

LAHORE:

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned the former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to record his statement in the over Rs82 billion Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) corruption case, The Express Tribune has learnt.

NAB has also summoned some serving and former top executives of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) to question them on concealing facts during an investigation into the Ogra case.

Gilani and the managing directors of gas utilities have been asked to appear before the investigation team on July 18. Sources said the summons for ex-PM were prepared by the Ogra corruption case Investigation Officer Waqas Ahmad Khan and forwarded to the Director General NAB Rawalpindi Subah Sadiq by Director NAB Mirza Irfan Baig for dispatch to former PM Gilani.

Gilani was earlier called by NAB to record his statement regarding illegal appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as Ogra chairman.

The incumbent chairman of Ogra Saeed Ahmad Khan and vice chairman Sabar Hussain have been called by the NAB on July 17, to fill a bond ensuring cooperation in providing evidence as well as providing protection to employees who are ready to record their statements in the case.

Tauqeer Sadiq speaks

Tauqeer Sadiq has pointed out that Mirza Mehmood, member board of directors of SSGC and SNGPL also played a key role in increasing the benchmark for Unaccounted For Gas (UFG) from 5% to 7% which caused billions of rupees loss to the state-owned companies, but some brokers made windfall profits from trading in shares of these gas companies, sources familiar with the investigation further revealed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2013.