ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) decided on Thursday to file a reference against former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in the rental power projects scam. A NAB’s executive board’s meeting presided over by its chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry approved the reference.

According to NAB spokesman Nawazish Ali, the reference was approved against Mr Ashraf, former secretary of the ministry of water and power Shahid Rafi, former chairman and secretary Ismail Qureshi, former managing director Munawar Baseer Ahmad and managing director and CEO Tahir Basharat Cheema of the Pakistan Electric Power Company and the owner of Techno Engineering Services located at Samundri Road, Faisalabad.

Also read: NAB to probe Pervez Ashraf for illegally awarding RPP contract

They are accused of misusing their authority, indulging in corruption and corrupt practices by conducting illegal and unauthorised international competitive bidding in violation of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) Act, illegal and non-transparent award of contract for extending financial benefits to sponsors, making illegal / unauthorised changes in the contract through revision of Letter of Award in violation of advertised criteria.

The meeting approved a reference against Zahoor Khattak, former chief controller of purchase Saeed Akhtar, former general manager (operations) Sameeullah Khan and former chief controller of stores, Pakistan Railways, and Zeeshan Ahmad, contractor / proprietor of Pak Steel Traders (Lahore).

They are accused of violating the Public Procurement Rules, 2004, while awarding the contract for procurement of 500 million tons of Pig iron, causing millions of rupees loss to the exchequer.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2015

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