NAB files reference against 20 accused in Saaf Pani Company case

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau on Monday filed an interim reference against 20 persons including former director Saaf Pani Company Engineer Qamarul Islam and former CEO Waseem Ajmal, accused of awarding contracts at exorbitant rates causing a loss of Rs 345.282 million to the national kitty.

The NAB has filed the interim reference in accountability court against Chief Technical Officer Punjab Saaf Pani Company (PSPC) Dr Zaheer-ud-Din, Chief Procurement Officer Nasir Qadir Badhal, Consultant Engineer Saleem Akhtar and Managing Director KSB Pumps Muhammad Masud Akhter, Deputy Secretary Housing Khalid Nadeem Bukhari, Raja Qamarul Islam, former CEO Wasim Ajmal, former Deputy Secretary Zahoor Ahmed Dogar, ex-Chief Resident Engineer Maj (retd) Adnan Aftab Khan, Resident Engineer Syed Masoud-ul-Hassan Kazmi, Resident Engineer Muhammad Moeen-ud-Din and Resident Engineer Muhammad Younas.

The NAB had started investigations in the scam after receiving complaints of awarding an illegal contract to the KSB Pumps for installation of 116 water filtration plants allegedly at exorbitant rates and malafide involvement of PSPC officials by means of corrupt practices which caused a collective loss amounting to Rs 345.282 million to the national exchequer.

It was also alleged that the accused had prepared engineering cost estimates at much higher rates in connivance with the consultants and officials of the PSPC, whereas, weather shield applications on the plants were also approved at exorbitant rates. The NAB's inquiry against management of the PSPC South and others subsequently converted into 'Investigation' on August 20, 2018.

Moreover, during the investigations, it was found that with malafide intentions a contract was awarded to the KSB Pumps for installation of 82 water filtration plants at exorbitant rates and without proper approval of the engineering estimates and technical sanction. Furthermore, it was also revealed that 36 additional filtration plants were also illegally approved which changed the entire scope of the project.

It was also found that the civil, electrical and solar works were also executed at exorbitant rates during installation of the water filtration plants in Bahawalpur region including the use of substandard material found below the required specifications.

The investigations against the accused further found that the weather shield applied to the external walls of the filtration plants in Bahawalpur was also shown to have been purchased at exorbitant rates. Besides, eight solar and grid-based filtration plants installed in tehsil Dunyapur were not included into the contract even in the list of the four priority tehsils.

The NAB has accused Raja Qamar being member of the procurement committee of the PSPC south, of awarding contracts at excessive rates to the KSB Pumps. The NAB claims that the accused altered the contract documents after approval from the board of governors. The NAB has also accused Waseem Ajmal of forging documents and issuing payments without approval from the board of directors. The accused being the Chief Executive Officer approved payment of Rs24.7 million to the management of Ali and Fatima Developers Private Limited in lieu of the office rent for the Saaf Pani Company without the BOD approval despite the fact that the possession was not taken till date. Ali and Fatima Developers is owned by Ali Imran, son-in-law of the former Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Moreover, Waseem Ajmal during the court hearing had alleged that the orders of the former Punjab CM were followed to install water filtration plants in Dunyapur tehsil of Lodhran district to get votes for the PML-N candidate in the December 2015 by-election against PTI's Jahangir Tareen.