The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday decided to file an interim reference against former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in the rental power project case.
In a major development, Sahiwal-Multan Rental Power Project former manager Rana Amjad has agreed to become an approver and testify against the former premier, whereas the accountability court has also approved the bureau’s request to add Amjad to the witnesses’ list.
The anti-graft watchdog had earlier pleaded to the court to expunge Amjad’s name from the list of accused.
Following the development, NAB has been directed by the court to file a supplementary reference against Raja Pervez Ashraf till the next hearing of the case scheduled for Dec 21.
Pervez Ashraf served as the 19th prime minister of the country from June 22, 2012, until completing his designated term on March 16, 2013, during the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government.
He is accused of misusing authority during his tenure as the minister for water and power to obtain approval from the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the cabinet for an increase in the down payment to the rental power companies from 7% to 14%, amounting to about Rs22 billion.
