Shahbaz again skips NAB grilling

LAHORE: While ex-chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif once again skipped the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) grilling, the Lahore chapter of the anti-corruption body Monday arrested Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) candidate against Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan from NA-59 constituency in connection with Saaf Pani Company scandal investigation.

Engineer Qamarul Islam Raja was one of the members of the Board of Directors of Punjab Saaf Pani Company.

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif did not join an inquiry regarding Saaf Pani Company scam at NAB Lahore office on Monday. It was for the second time that he didn't appear before the NAB team.

Previously, he had sent a representative, who had submitted written answers to the bureau's questions.

NAB had summoned Shahbaz Sharif on May 9 after recording statements of MPA Waheed Gull and Punjab Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha.

However, the PML-N experienced a blow on Monday when NAB Lahore arrested Engineer Qamarul Islam Raja in Saaf Pani Company scam. The PML-N leader is going to contest election against party’s disgruntled leader Ch Nisar Ali from Rawalpindi’s NA-59 constituency.

The anti-graft body also arrested former chief executive officer (CEO) of Saaf Pani Company and former secretary P&D Punjab Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry during Monday’s raid.

The accused Waseem Ajmal, being chief executive officer of the Company, illegally approved payment of Rs24.7 million to the management of Ali and Fatima Developers (Private) Limited in lieu of office rents for the Company without approval of the board of directors (BoDs), though the possession has not been taken till date.

Ali and Fatima Developers is owned by Ali Imran Yousaf, son-in-law of former chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.

The bureau arrested Qamarul Islam Raja over the charges of forging documents and awarding contracts of 84 water filtration plants on exorbitant rates and causing a huge loss to the national kitty.

The PML-N Sunday nominated candidates against its disgruntled leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for the constituencies, NA-59, NA-63, PP-10 and PP-12.

The party issued party tickets to Raja Qamarul Islam for NA-59 and PP-10.

The bureau accused Raja of awarding contracts of 84 water filtration plants on exorbitant rates including 56 reverse osmosis plants and 28 ultra-filtration plants.

The bureau said that inquiry conducted so far into the scam revealed sufficient evidence to prove involvement of Qamarul Islam’s involvement in the scam being member of the procurement committee of the Punjab Saaf Pani Company (South), as defined under Section 9a and schedule of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

It has learnt that during the probe of Saaf Pani Company scam, the bureau found that Raja awarded contracts on excessive rates to a company KSB Pumps. The plants were to be installed in four tehsils including Hasilpur, Minchanabad, Khanpur and Lodhran of districts Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Lodhran. The accused altered the contract documents after getting it approved from the board of governors. The bureau further found that the accused Qamarul Islam Raja forged the documents and showed excessive estimate of building constructions. Moreover, the accused, being convener of the procurement committee Punjab Saaf Pani Company (South), accepted negotiated bid price of KSP Pumps at exorbitant rates under garb of nationalisation. The accused dishonestly evaluated unsolicited proposal of 102 water filtration plants, submitted by the KSB Pumps and then recommended the unsolicited proposal for approval of the BoD and also illegally changed the scope of work.

As far as other accused Waseem Ajmal is concerned, the bureau has arrested him over the charges forging documents and issuing payments without taking approval from the board of directors.

Waseem Ajmal, being the CEO, dishonestly made post-bid changes in violation of the Punjab Procurement Rules 2014 by illegally signing addendum of 36 additional water filtration plants to the original contract in order to give undue benefit to the contractor KSB Pumps at the cost of public exchequer.

It has been learnt that the bureau, after the arrest of both accused, has taken their 14-day physical remand.

Other than these arrests, NAB has so far arrested five accused in Saaf Pani Company scam.

They are: Dr Zahiruddin, Muhammad Saleem Akhtar, Nasir Qadir, Khalid Nadeem Bukhari and Masood Akhtar. Zahiruddin had been working as chief technical officer (CTO) in the Saaf Pani Company and Nasir Qadir as chief procurement officer (CFO). Moreover, Associated Consultant Engineer Saleem was also attached with the company.