The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was held today at NAB Headquarters. NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry presided the meeting.
The EBM approved filing of reference against M/s Karkey (through its directors), government officials and public office holders including Mr. Babar Zulqarnain (Karkey), Raja Pervez Ashraf, former Minister Water and Power, two former Secretaries of Water and Power namely Ismail Qureshi and Shahid Rafi, former MDs of PEPCO Fazal Ahmad and Tahir Basharat Cheema, Members of PECPO Board, former MD of PPIB Fayyaz Elahi and present MD PECPO N. A. Zuberi, three CEOs of Lakhra Power Generation Company Limited (LPGCL – GENCO) and others.
The accused M/s Karkey (through its directors), government officials and public office-holders, acting in collusion with each other, committed a series of illegal and unlawful acts such as flouting the decisions of the federal Cabinet, misleading the Cabinet and the ECC by misrepresenting and concealing facts, changing the bid evaluation criteria, post-bid changes in violation of PPRA rules, extending illegal mobilization advance resulting in undue and illegal benefits to the sponsors i.e. M/s Karkey. In this case an amount of $128 million with markup (due from Karkey as determined by Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan) and Rs.792.7 million (on account of miscellaneous infrastructure cost) are to be recovered from the sponsors and various government functionaries.
The Board also authorized to convert an inquiry into investigation against Tariq Awan, Secretary Workers Welfare Board, KPK. He is alleged to have awarded scholarships to fake / non-entitled persons.
The EBM authorized five inquiries, first against Asfand Yar Kakar, ex-Minister for Food Balochistan, Ali Bux Baloch, Ex-Secretary Food Balochistan and others. The accused are alleged for embezzlement in wheat procurement at District Killa Abdullah Balochistan and causing a loss of Rs. 292.878 million to the exchequer. Two inquiries against officers and officials of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and others have also been authorised for illegally awarding advertising contract to M/s Midas Pvt Ltd in violation of PPRA rules and for making illegal appointments as well as doling out duplicate/fake payments to ineligible people thereby causing huge loss to the national exchequer. Two inquiries were authorized in bank loan default cases referred by State Bank of Pakistan, first against M/s Kashir Textile Mills Limited and its Directors / Guarantors defaulting an amount of Rs. 126.972 million of the UBL. The other inquiry of loan default case has been authorized against Mr. Humayon Naseer Sheikh in BoP case on default of Rs 77.446 million. The Board also authorized a Complaint Verification (CV) against Makhdoom Amin Faheem, MNA on the allegations for accumulation of assets beyond known sources and means.
The chairman directed Heads of Regional NABs and Prosecution Division for expeditious completion of inquiries/investigations and follow up of cases in the concerned courts.
