National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Chaudhry Qamar Zaman on Tuesday said that the bureau has almost completed the first phase of investigation into the alleged irregularities in the Nandipur power project.
Talking to media persons after the inaugural ceremony of a forensic lab at NAB HQ in Islamabad, Qamar Zaman said, “We do not want to implicate anyone before the conclusion of the probe.”
He said the first phase includes investigation from the approval stage to the commencement of the project, while the payments and increase in the project cost will be probed during the second phase.
The operation of 425MW Nandipur plant, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on May 30, is shrouded in mystery as the government raised the cost of the project from Rs22 billion to Rs 57 billion without giving any reason.
Corruption is the main hurdle in any country’s development, the NAB chief added.
Qamar Zaman said the NAB is determined to eliminate corruption from the country and the forensic laboratory will help expedite the investigation process.
Meanwhile, Shahzad Akbar was appointed the new project director Nandipur power plant.
He was appointed as part of government’s efforts to make plant operational earlier. He had been working as resident engineer of the project but now he has been inducted as the new project director.
