NAB told to complete probe into alleged power sector corruption in 30 days

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was told by a sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday to complete its probe into the alleged irregularities of billions of rupees into the power sector in 30 days, reported The News. 

The meeting of the sub-committee of the PAC was held on Tuesday chaired by Syed Naveed Qamar in which the audit paras relating to Power Division for the year 2016-17 were examined.

During the meeting, NAB did not give updates on the cases referred to it in 2016-17 on which the PAC subcommittee convener Syed Naveed Qamar expressed his displeasure and said that the Parliament is a supreme forum and officials of the NAB came here without preparation. 

The subcommittee expressed displeasure at NAB for not completing the inquiries into the cases. Qamar remarked that NAB did not come into action where needed but when the bureau wanted to arrest anyone, then it did so without any charge or evidence. 

“You are not aware of the details of the audit paras sent since long and it seems that where NAB has to come into action, it fails to do and when it wanted to arrest anyone, then it comes into action without any charge and evidence,” he said.

directed the NAB to complete the inquiries on the audit Paras refer to it within 30 days and submit a report to the committee.

Govt decides to make public report on alleged power corruption

Last month, the cabinet decided to make the inquiry report regarding corruption in the power sector public, a few days after it was learned that the power sector was incurring a loss of Rs1bn per day.

Planning minister Asad Umar said that ensuring transparency in governance was the government's number one priority. He had also said that the report pointed out that the law was violated by those involved in the power sector.

The minister had stated that the federal cabinet has also decided to form an inquiry commission to investigate those accused of corruption in the power sector.

“Government institutions are also involved in corruption,” Umar had said. He had said that the commission of inquiry was being formed under the law and the government would not forgive anyone who violated it.

Originally published in The News