New RPP reference: Parvez Ashraf summoned on April 9

Three references clubbed.

ISLAMABAD:

An accountability court on Monday summoned former prime minister Raja Parvez Ashraf on April 9 for his involvement in a multi-million scam unearthed in rental power projects (RPP).

He is among nine persons nominated in corruption references, filed by the National Accoutability Bureau (NAB), who have been asked to appear in court on April 9. The persons on trial have been accused of misappropriating money from Piranghaib, Multan, and Techno Engineering Services, Sahuwal and Sialkot rental power projects. NAB had filed references on March 1.

The court recorded the statement of witnesses in Naudero-II case and clubbed three references. The court will take up the matter on April 9. Ashraf has been granted exemption from appearance in court in the Naudero-II case. He and nine others were indicted on January 17 in in the case of Naudero-II .

The co-accused nominated in the reference are former water and power secretary Shahid Rafi, former additional secretary Sheikh Zarrar Aslam, former managing director of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) Tahir Basharat Cheema, former Pepco directors Malik Muhammad Razi Abbas and Wazir Ali Bhayo, Tariq Nazir, Abdul Malik Memon, and Rasool Khan Mehsud.

The references approved by NAB accuse the nominated persons of corrupt practices and misuse of authority in awarding RPPs contracts during the previous government’s tenure. The accused are charged with concealing facts, while receiving approval for the contracts and making post-bid changes, causing a loss of $60 million to the national exchequer.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2014.