ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to record his statement in the Rs22 billion Rental Power Projects (RPPs) scam.

Mr Ashraf who is one of the accused in the case has been asked to appear before NAB investigators at 10am on Tuesday.

According to media reports, the name of former prime minister, who has been defeated in his home constituency, has been put on the Exit Control List (ECL) after he was alleged to have tried to leave the country along with members of his family. But, the reports have not been confirmed by NAB.

“It is true that Mr Ashraf has been asked to appear before NAB investigators, but it is yet to be confirmed whether his name has been put on the ECL,” NAB’s spokesman Ramzan Sajid told Dawn.

Inside sources said that NAB required the statement of Mr Ashraf to complete its investigation but when he was prime minister its officials did not have the courage to summon him.

Mr Ashraf has been accused of having received kickbacks and commission in the RPP deal when he was federal minister for water and power in 2008.

In the RPP scam, nine firms were accused of receiving more than Rs22 billion as mobilisation advance from the government to commission the projects, but most of them did not set up their plants and a few which installed some plants after an inordinate delay. Of the total recoverable amount of Rs22 billion, NAB has so far recovered Rs5 billion, in addition to Rs8 billion paid by the firms on the directives of the Supreme Court.

It has been learnt that NAB has decided to file a reference against the accused, including the former prime minister, three former federal ministers and four former federal secretaries.

“As per directives of the Supreme Court NAB has to file the reference on the RPP scam before May 27,” said a senior NAB officer who did not want to be named.

He confirmed that the reference was being submitted against 16 accused.