July 06, 2006	Thursday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 9, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, July 5: The PPP has filed a reference with the National Accountability Bureau against former minister for Railways Lt-Gen (rtd) Javed Ashraf Qazi and two other retired generals for their alleged involvement in corruption in the purchase of Chines locomotives.

The petition, filed by Advocate Mohammad Aleem Abbasi on behalf of the PPP on Wednesday, claims: “The respondents were facing charges of buying 69 locomotives from China on suppliers credit at an amount of $98 million (approximately Rs5.96 billion) without even trying to know that the locomotives could not operate in Pakistani environment and conditions.”

Besides Mr Qazi, the PPP has nominated former chairman Railways Gen (retd) Saeeduz Zafar and former general manager Gen (retd) Hamid Butt as co-accused in the reference.

The petition says: “ Secretary Railways Shakeel Durrani has informed, in categorical terms, the sub-committee of the PAC that rules were seriously violated when the deal was struck with China and that had he been the chairman Railways at that time, he would never have gone for such a deal ... Some of the recent rail accidents occurred because the Chinese locomotives and bogies could not run on Pakistani tracks.”

The PAC sub-committee, after hearing arguments from the secretary Railways, passed a judgment that “though there was misconduct in procurement of locomotives, the then administration had made the deal in good faith, therefore, this issue stands settled.”