ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau has planned to arrest former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Asharf in 11 corruption cases on return of NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chudhary to the country from his vacation, The Nation has learnt.
The NAB had approved six references, three inquiries and two investigations against former PM Pervaiz Ashraf, former finance minister Shaukat Tareen, former secretary Shahid Rafi, ex-MD PPIB Fayyaz Elahi and ex-Pepco MD Tahir Basharat Cheema.
Sources in the NAB told The Nation that warrants for Raja Pervaiz Ashraf were on the table of the NAB chairman, but the action had been delayed due to the absence of the NAB chief. He left the country on August 11 on vacation during which he was also attending conferences in Vienna and Malaysia, they added.
The sources said the NAB would launch action against Raja Pervaiz Ashraf after getting formal approval of the chairman. It would be the first occasion that the NAB was going to arrest a former PM in all 11 cases for further investigations, they added.
According to the documents available with The Nation, the first inquiry is against Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and others in case of Rs 2.3 billion funds released for dual road from Sohawa to Chakwal and Mandra to Gujar Khan.
The second inquiry against ex-government functionaries and others is regarding award of rental power plant’s contract to M/s Reshma Power Generation Ltd, Raiwind, Lahore, while Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Shahid Rafi, Fayyaz Elahi, Ghulam Mustafa Tunio, and Tahir Basharat Cheema are the main accused in this case involving Rs. 379.850 million. The third inquiry is against former government officials and others regarding award of RPPs’ contract to M/s Young Generation (Pvt) Ltd in which Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Shaukat Tareen, Shahid Rafi, Fazal Ahmad Khan, ex-MD PEPCO, Habibullah Khan, CEO Young Muhammad Aslam, Director Young Gen Usman Habib are the main accused and Rs 435.7 million are involved in this case.
The NAB approved two investigations against Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and others. The first investigation is against Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Shahid Rafi, Fayyaz Elahi, ex-MD PPIB, Fazal Ahmed Khan, ex-MD Pepco and Tahir Basharat Cheema in case of illegal award of a 51MW RPP contract to M/s Walters Power International without open competitive bidding upon terms and conditions favourable to sponsors (in violation of PPRA rules and Nepra Act), causing loss to the national exchequer and illegal amendment in the Rental Services Contract to favour the sponsors at the cost of the state exchequer and Rs1.3 million are involved in this case.
The second investigation against Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and others is for approving post-bid variation in RSC clauses in violation of PPRA rules and illegal enhancement of advance from 7 percent to 14 percent in violation of bidding conditions. This investigation is still under process and no amount has been mentioned.
The NAB has also filed six references against Raja Pervez Ashraf, ex-federal minister for water & power, Shahid Rafi and Ismail Qureshi, ex-secretaries, water &power, Fazal Ahmad Khan and Tahir Basharat Cheema in cases of Karkey, Sahuwal,Piranghaib, Neudero-II and Samundari Road RPPs.
Another reference has been filed against Raja Pervez Ashraf, ex-chairman EOBI Zafar Iqbal Gondal and others in case of appointment of son-in-law of Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Azeemul Haq, in the World Bank and EOBI. When contacted, NAB spokesman Asim Ali Nawazish said he had confirmed that the chairman was abroad in connection with attending official conferences. He said he was not aware of the development regarding the former PM’s arrest warrants.