Former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
In its Executive Board Meeting (EBM), held at NAB Headquarters under the chair of NAB chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, the bureau approved filing of reference against Raja Pervez Ashraf, M/s Karkey, its official Babar Zulqarnain and two former water and power secretaries –Ismail Qureshi and Shahid Rafi.
The reference also includes names of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) former MDs Fazal Ahmad and Tahir Basharat Cheema as well as it present chief N A Zuberi, PEPCO Board members, Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB)’s former MD Fayyaz Elahi and the LPGCL’s three chief executive officers.
The reference says the accused M/s Karkey (through its directors), government officials and public office-holders, acted in collusion with each other and committed a series of illegal and unlawful acts.
These acts included flouting the decisions of the federal cabinet, misleading the cabinet and the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) by misrepresenting and concealing facts, changing the bid evaluation criteria, post-bid changes in violation of PPRA rules and extending illegal mobilisation advance resulting in undue and illegal benefits to the sponsors, i.e., M/s Karkey.
In this case, an amount of $128 million with markup (due from M/s Karkey as determined by Supreme Court of Pakistan and Rs792.7 million (on account of miscellaneous infrastructure cost) are to be recovered from the sponsors and various government functionaries.
The board also authorised to convert an inquiry into an investigation against Khyber Pakhtunkwa (K-P) Workers Welfare Board Secretary Tariq Awan, who allegedly awarded scholarships to fake and ineligible persons.
The EBM also approved inquiry against former Balochistan Minister for Food Asfand Yar Kakar and former secretary food Ali Bux Baloch, and others. The accused allegedly committed embezzlement in wheat procurement for Balochistan’s District Killa Abdullah and caused a loss of Rs292.878 million to the exchequer.
Two inquiries were initiated against officers and officials of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). These officials were accused of illegally awarding advertising contract to M/s Midas (Pvt) Ltd in violation of the PPRA rules and of making illegal appointments as well as doling out duplicate/fake payments to ineligible people and causing huge loss to the national exchequer.
Two inquiries were authorised in bank loan default cases referred to by State Bank of Pakistan. The first of them was against Kashir Textile Mills Limited and its directors/guarantors, who failed to pay an amount of Rs126.972 million to United Bank Limited.
The board also authorised complaint verification (CV) against Pakistan Peoples Party leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem on the allegations of accumulating assets beyond known sources and means.
NAB chairman directed regional heads and prosecution division for expeditious completion of inquiries and investigations and follow-up on cases in courts, NAB officials added.
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