NAB authorises probe into metro project irregularities

Islamabad - The executive board meeting of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday authorised seven fresh inquiries, two re-authorised inquiries, two investigations, two complaint verifications and references against two private companies.
The executive board meeting was held under the chairmanship of Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, Chairman NAB, at NAB Headquarters. During the meeting the chairman said that NAB is committed to eliminating corruption through transparent and fair inquiries, investigations and vigorous prosecution in Courts. He directed all officers of NAB to put their best efforts in conduct of complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations against corrupts in accordance with law, transparently and on merit.
The executive board meeting decided to authorize seven inquiries. The first inquiry was authorized against officers of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) regarding irregular award of elevators and platform screen doors (PSD) for metro bus project Rawalpindi/Islamabad. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for irregularities in the award of elevator and platform sliding door (PSD), metro bus project Rawalpindi/Islamabad, by RDA to M/s Mesi Enterprises. The second inquiry was authorized against officials of National Bank of Pakistan, Bangladesh branch, and others. In this case, the officers and staff posted at the four branches of NBP Bangladesh got involved in the abuse of discretionary powers in processing and sanctioning of credit limits, failed to perform due diligence, wilfully avoided to conduct proper valuation of securities offered by the borrower causing huge loss to national exchequer to the tune of US $170 million. The third inquiry was authorized against officials of BOR, CBCK, Sindh government, and others against illegal allotment of 06 acres of land. The fourth inquiry was authorized against officials of local government & rural development department (LG&RDD), KP, and others. In this case, the accused persons were alleged for corruption and corrupt practices by rejecting the eligible contractors in the sham process of technical evaluation and awarding the contract to blue-eyed contractor at highly exorbitant rates and causing huge loss to state exchequer. The fifth inquiry was authorized against Ameer Hamza Masood, Commandant Frontier Reserve Police. In this case, the accused person is alleged for accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income. The sixth inquiry was authorized against Muhammad Saleem Awan, Secretary Food Balochistan, and others. In this case the accused person is alleged for awarding the contract of transportation of government wheat procured in Naseerabad division during 2014 without tender, standard procedures and misuse of authority. The seventh inquiry was authorized against M/S ASI Traders over loan default.
The executive board meeting decided to authorize two fresh investigations. First investigation was authorized against government functionaries and others regarding award of illegal contract to M/s Gulf Rental Power, Eminabad Gujranwala (RPP). In this case, the accused persons namely Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, ex-minister of water & power, Shahid Rafi, ex-secretary water & power, Fayyaz Ellahi, ex-MD, PPIB, NA Zubairi, ex-executive director PPIB (present MS PPIB), Fazal Ahmed Khan, ex-MD PEPCO, and Ghulam Mustafa Tunio, ex-CEO (GENCO-III) were alleged for corruption/corrupt practices and misuse of authority in award of 62MW rental power project contract to M/s Gulf Rental Power Eminabad, Gujranwala, causing loss of Rs 493.85 million to national exchequer. The second investigation was authorized against officers/officials of Peshawar University and others regarding corruption and corrupt practices and embezzlement of funds in Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Peshawar.
The EBM also authorized two complaint verifications (CV). The first is against Dr Hammad Shamidi, DG (HR & Admn) NEPRA and the second complaint verification was authorized against Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, treasurer (BPS-20) Federal Urdu University, Karachi, and others.

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