ISLAMABAD: Justice Javed Iqbal, Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) handed over Rs224.071 million to Mumtaz Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh recovered in illegal award of contracts in installation of solar street lights under Roshan Sindh program after a meeting which was attended by Syed Ashgar Haider, Prosecutor General Accountability (PGA), Mumtaz Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh, Zahir Shah, DG Operations NAB, Irfan Naeem Mangi, DG NAB Rawalpindi and other senior officers art NAB Headquarters.
During the meeting Irfan Naeem Mangi, DG NAB Rawalpindi informed that NAB Rawalpindi initiated probe in illegal award of contracts in installation of solar street lights in municipal and town committees of Sindh under Roshan Sindh Program as the subject investigation was authorized as a spinoff of an umbrella inquiry referred by Joint Investigation Team (JIT) where in as per findings of JIT at total of 19 x contractors have deposited kick backs in different fake bank accounts.
The instant investigation has revealed that 3 contractors namely Wadood Engineering Service Pvt. Limited along with MJB Construction Company and Zafar Enterprises (JV) were illegally awarded 6 contracts pertaining to a project namely “Installation of Solar Street Lights in Municipal & Town Committees of Sindh (Roshan Sindh Program)” by officers / officials of Rural Development Department, Sindh.
He further informed that an expert from Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET), Islamabad with NAB team collected solar lights from Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana and tested in the LAB of PCRET, Islamabad. A report regarding technical specification of the solar light revealed that the lights are All-In-One Solar lights wherein the parts such as solar panel, battery, charge controller and LED are present and manufactured in integrated form contrary to PC-I wherein these were mentioned as disintegrated items wherein cost estimation of each item is done separately.
The expert provided per unit cost of solar ;ight based on the market survey on the basis of which exorbitant profit charged by the contractors but products were totally different from the PC-1. An item which was costing only Rs600-2000 but shown in documents to purchase for Rs60, 000/-. However, the solar charge controller item was never purchased in actual. Under this project besides exorbitant rates of lights were Rs401.2 million and huge kick backs were paid to govt officials to the tune of Rs22.3 million.
The former Provincial Minister Sherjeel Memon had allegedly received Rs77 million which was deposited in a Fake Bank Account. He further informed that the total liability of the project is Rs. 505 million. The accused persons have admitted their offence and entered into Plea Bargain and the amount recovered is Rs. 305 million. Today, cheques/ PO’s amounting to Rs. 224.071 Million is being handed over to CS Sindh.
Earlier, NAB has already handed over land amounting to Rs11.66 billions in fake bank account scam cases.
Honourable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB said that logical conclusion of mega corruption cases is the top most priority of NAB. NAB has no affiliation with any political party, group or individual. NAB NAB’s faith is corruption free Pakistan considering it as a national duty. NAB has recovered Rs. 10 billion in Sugar Scam in Sindh and deposited in the national exchequer which were subsequently returned to Sindh Government.
Similarly, NAB has recovered directly and indirectly Rs23 billion in fake accounts cases and deposited in national exchequer besides NAB has returned million of rupees in Roshan Sindh Program to Sindh Government. He said that NAB has also returned two costly plots of Rs. 50 crore to Sindh Govt. He further added that the former DG Sindh Building Control Authority Manzoor Kaka illegally allotted 506 acres land of Pakistan Steel illegally, out of which the documents of 300 acres land of Rs. 1 billion have been returned to Sindh Government. He said that NAB Karachi is inquiring into installation of Solar Lights Case Phase-I and II. He said that due to vigorous prosecution of NAB, the respected Accountability Court Karachi has accepted the plea bargain request of accused Kamran Iftikhar Lari of Rs. 1.27 billion in Pakistan State Oil (PSO) case. He said that NAB is probing case of shortfall of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) at public hospitals across Sindh, dog-bite patients have become more prone to rabies as Sindh government has failed to provide the vaccine to healthcare facilities, and hence, the vaccine remains unavailable at most public hospitals besides Larkana development package on the basis of complaints.
At the end, Justice Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB handed over Rs224.071 million to Mumtaz Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh recovered by NAB Rawalpindi in illegal award of contracts in installation of solar street lights under Roshan Sindh program Mumtaz Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh. Mumtaz Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh thanked Honourable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB for handing over Rs 224.071 million to Sindh Government and appreciated the efforts of NAB in eradication of corruption. Honourable Mr. Justice Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB appreciated the excellent performance of DG NAB Rawalpindi and DG NAB Karachi for nabbing the corrupt elements, recovering looted money and depositing in the national exchequer.
