Corruption focus of govt’s, opposition’s attention

Govt committed to across-the-board accountability, US consul general told

MULTAN/ LAHORE:

Allegations of corruption in provincial government projects including the Nandipur power plant remained in focus at a government meeting as well as during press conferences by opposition parties on Monday.

At a meeting at the Governor’s House, Governor Muhammad Rafique Rajwana told the United States Consulate General Zach Harkenrider that the federal government was committed to extending the scope of its accountability efforts to everyone. He said corruption allegations were being probed without discrimination. An official present in the meeting told The Express Tribune that earlier the US consul general had asked whether action was being taken to address corruption allegations. The official said he had mentioned a particular provincial minister accused of accepting money from a person facing criminal charges.

A statement issued by the Governor’s House said Zarb-i-Azb, the Karachi operation and the upcoming local government elections were also discussed during the meeting. It said the US consul general was told that there were no differences between the political and military leadership of the country with regards to these issues. The US consul general praised the efforts of the army against terrorist outfits. He also lauded the growth of information technology industry in Pakistan. Separately, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah told the media that his party had sent a letter to the Auditor General of Pakistan seeking investigation of corruption charges in the Nandipur power project.

Speaking at the Multan International Airport, he said the AGP should probe whether the cost overrun was justified.

Shah dismissed the suggestion that his party was involved in back-channel negotiations with the government. He said the PPP would continue to raise its voice on issues of public importance in and outside the parliament. He highlighted problems faced by the farmers, price inflation and electricity shortage as some of the issues high on the party’s agenda. The Pakistan Awami Tehreek also decried what it said was unwarranted escalation in the estimated cost of the project. However, the PAT dismissed the suggestion that the AGP be asked to probe the matter. PAT information secretary Noorullah Sadique demanded that a judicial commission be established to investigate charges of corruption in the project. He said the investigation would involve the prime minister, the federal minister for water and power and the chief minister. He said the AGP could not be relied upon for a fair investigation.

Further, the PAT information secretary said the AGP had lost credibility after he failed to probe allegation of corruptions of Rs150 billion in disbursement of funds to the local governments; the Sasti Roti and several other schemes of the provincial government.

Noorullah said that at the time of the inauguration of the project, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had announced that it would add 425 megawatts of power would be added to the national grid. Now, he said the provincial government intended to lease the plant to the private sector.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2015.