Engro LNG Terminal CEO sure no probe being conducted by NAB

ISLAMABAD: What may turn out to be a great embarrassment for the Nawaz Sharif regime, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has authorised an inquiry into the alleged corruption in the otherwise high-profile multi-billion dollar LNG project of the present government.
Informed sources said that the NAB Sindh is presently conducting this inquiry, which was authorised only recently.
The sources said that during the last one week, some senior officials of the Sui Southern Gas Company have been summoned and interviewed by the NAB Sindh to ascertain the facts concerning alleged corruption into the LNG deal, whose details remain blurred even till today.
Nothing could be said at this stage about the possible outcome of the inquiry, a source said. He added that within a few weeks time as the inquiry proceeds further the things would become clear to conclude whether there is any substance in the allegations presently under scrutiny of the Bureau.
The inquiry authorised is titled as “Corruption and corrupt practices in award of tender to Engro Pvt Ltd”. According to the brief of the NAB’s inquiry, the complaint against management of Inters State Gas Services (ISGS), Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGC), M/S Elengy Terminal Pakistan Ltd (ETPL), the Subsidiary Company of M/S Engro Pvt (Ltd), alleges that ISGS being non procuring agency illegally floated tender for LNG services and by violating the PPRA Rules selected single bid of ETP. The other participants were disqualified without mentioning the reasons.
To probe the matter, the record from SSGC including agreements, correspondences and other documents has been sought by the NAB. Partial record that has already been provided to the Bureau is presently under scrutiny of the nab detectors.
The sources said that the record of Port Qasim Authority, ISGS, PSO and others is also being sought. It is said that the ISGS instead of the SSGC had invited proposals on August 07, 2013 for the setting up of LNG terminal through open tendering under single stage, two envelope procedure. Subsequently, request for proposals for LNG services were issued. Later the bids (technical and financial proposals) were received on October 14, 2013 at ISGS office Islamabad. The NAB sources added that two bidders namely Elengy Terminal Pakistan Ltd and Pakistan Gas Port Ltd and Gunvor as consortium, submitted their bids by the deadline.
The LNG service agreement was signed between ETPL and SSGC on April 30, 2014. It is added that in an indecent haste the Port Qasim Authority was also approached by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources for signing of “Implementation Agreement”.
It is also alleged that in violation of SIGTTO (The Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators) standards, “Implementation Agreement was signed between ETPL and PQA and area adjacent to chemical terminal of Engro was selected instead of separate LNG zone.
Government sources claim that there is nothing wrong in the project and everything was done fairly.
The government sources added that some two year back, the NAB had sought all documents of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources about the status of bids evaluation and complete schedule of award and confirmation that the contract process was in conformity with PPRA Rules and other regulations as well as superior court orders on mega projects.
NAB in a letter to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, written on November 01, 2013, had feared that the LNG contract was going to be a shady deal.
However, the official sources insist that later nothing wrong was found by NAB in the LNG deal.
Moben Saulat, MD ISGS, while talking to The News said that neither NAB has contacted ISGS nor he was aware of any details of the issue regarding construction of Engro LNG Terminal. Saulat said that he only heard that NAB has taken up the Engro LNG Terminal issue. He added that details and documentation of every project worth more than $50 million have to be submitted to NAB.
Sheikh Imranul Haq, CEO of Engro LNG Terminal, while talking to The News said that NAB has only asked his company to provide the copy of contract with the government. He said that no other question whatsoever has been asked by the Bureau.
Responding to a question, Imranul Haq said that not only quality of work at the terminal is superb but it was also made in the agreed time frame.
The project’s CEO maintained that not only the terminal is fully functional but until now ninth cargo of LNG has already arrived. He said that that he was sure there was no inquiry in NAB as the Bureau has only sought basic information from different stakeholders. He said if there was any kind of inquiry it would be the consequence of a move by those who failed to get the contract.