MIRPUR (AJK) - The AJK Accountability Bureau has arrested three officials of the state-run Project Management Unit (PMU) of Rs7 billion greater water supply and sewerage project in Mirpur on the charges mass corruption in the project, the Accountability Bureau sources informed on Friday.

The sources told this Correspondent here Friday that as a result of the extensive initial probe into the scam, conducted by the NAB investigative unit led by Deputy Director (Investigations) Shehzada Goher Rehman, the NAB team arrested three officials of the PMU of the mega project including Raja Muhammad Rafique, the then Deputy Director; Mubarak Ali, the then Assistant Engineer and Muhammad Afzal, then Sub Engineer.

The arrested accused officials were shifted to local Safe House of the NAB soon after their arrest for further probe. They would be produced in a AJK Accountability Court Mirpur for seeking physical remand for further investigation, said the sources.

Funds for the gigantic project were provided to the AJK government by the government of Pakistan through Wapda for mass public welfare in the wake of about Rs110 billion Mangla Dam raising project, completed in 2013.

Meanwhile according to a press release of the AJK Accountability Bureau, the arrested officials had been involved in financial embezzlement, corruption and misuse of official powers in the greater water supply and sewerage scheme Mirpur.

The AJK government had filed a reference in the AB against the accused after it found corruption in the project. In the light of directives of the AB chairman AB, Deputy Director (investigations) Shahzada Gohar Rehman initiated a probe and found from the record and documents that greater water supply and sewerage scheme was originally worth Rs3 billion to provide facilities of sewerage and potable water to Mirpur city and its hamlets including Mangla, Hameedabad, Chakswari, Dudeyal, Siakh, Islamgarh and Khaliqabad.

The project was launched in 2008 with an estimated cost of Rs3 billion but its cost increased to Rs7 billion as it could not be started in time. Financial embezzlements, corruption and misuse of official powers also surfaced during the investigation as a result of which accountability bureau arrested the accused.

Initial reports said that despite the advance payment for construction of the project of great significance for Mirpur city and adjoining hamlets, the then PPP-led AJK government and its successor the sitting PML-N led regime in the state totally failed to get the greater water supply and sewerage project completed following the alleged misuse and embezzlement of funds by the officials of the concerned PMU headed by a Superintending Engineer, originally hailing from the AJK Public Works Department with other officials of the subordinate ranks including the above arrested accused allegedly with the connivance of the concerned private-sector construction company. Further investigations are in progress.

Meanwhile, city circles have demanded the government besides inviting the attention of the AJK Accountability (Ehtesab) Bureau to ensure accountability of all other influential persons including the in-service and former officials and the political elders of the concerned regime, allegedly involved the infamous mega corruption scam of the Mirpur greater water supply and sewerage project, to bring the perpetrators of the corruption to justice.