MUZAFFARABAD: Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali claimed on Wednesday that the 969-megawatt Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project would start production by January next year.

“More than 90 per cent work on this mega project has been completed and it will be commissioned early next year to help overcome the energy crisis in the country,” he told journalists in Chattar Klass, some 20km south of here, after visiting the project site there.

He however underlined the need of a proper investigation by the National Accountability Bureau into the delay in completion of the project as well as escalation in its cost beyond the sanctioned amount in PC-1.

“This project was subjected to deliberate delay and corruption of billions of rupees which must be investigated thoroughly,” he said.

He alleged that the previous governments did not pay attention to power production, due to which the whole nation was suffering.

“But we are determined to bring the country out of darkness in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,” he claimed.

The minister hit out at PTI chief Imran Khan, saying he must tell the public as to who had offered him Rs 10 billion on behalf of the prime minister.

“Imran Khan has lost his senses… By hurling this baseless allegation he has exhausted his last card (in politics) and is now empty-handed,” he said, claiming that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would hold the PTI chief accountable very soon.

While alleging that Mr Khan’s life was full of scandals, he asserted that the PML-N did not believe in the politics of revenge or personal attacks.

Pouring scorn on former president Asif Ali Zardari, the minister said he should not rail against corruption, “as he was known as the king of corruption across the globe”.

“All thieves and dacoits have joined hands with each other to destabilise the elected government of Nawaz Sharif, but they will fail.

“We will continue to work for the development and prosperity of the country, while Mr Khan and his likes will continue to weep,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2017