Ex-NTDC chief engineer arrested

LAHORE
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested former chief engineer Designs and Services, National Transmission and Distribution Company (NTDC), Inayat Hussain, for causing a loss of Rs 13.2 billion to the national exchequer. From 2010-14, the accused person with the connivance of others authorised different Pakistan Power Distribution Companies (DISCOS) to purchase transformers from different companies at exuberant rates, a NAB spokesman said Wednesday. By doing so, the accused committed the offence of misuse of authority and caused a loss to the national exchequer to the tune of Rs13.2b, he added. According to an NTDC official, in 2010, on the request of Lesco, Inayat Hussain of NTDC had approved designs of the distribution transformers which were to be used by DISCOS. But those designed subsequently challenged by the Lesco due to multiple issues. Rana Sajjad Ahmed, Director Media and Public Relations, NTDC, refused to comment.