SC directs NAB to open investigation against Dr Mubarakmand over Thar coal project
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The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take action against nuclear scientist Dr Samar Mubarakmand and others responsible for losses caused to the national exchequer in Thar coal gasification project.
A three-member bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, referred the project to the corruption watchdog, with instructions to investigate the individuals in light of the final audit report of the project, which was presented by the Auditor General of Pakistan in court today.
The SC on October 18 had ordered a forensic audit of the Thar coal project, directing the NAB to probe the matter and submit a report within 15 days.
The apex court had also sought a response from the Sindh government on the implementation of a report’s recommendations to avert environmental threats from the project.
The court today deemed that the Thar coal project was not "implementable" and had caused a heavy financial loss to the country.
The top judge remarked that Dr Mubarakmand had claimed "Pakistan would get free electricity" but "over Rs4 billion had been wasted" instead.
"Samar Mubarakmand is responsible," Justice Nisar said. "He had made big claims but now he will have 20 excuses. Who will be held accountable for the billions of rupees that were spent?.
Dr Mubarakmand, in his defence, said that "Rs1bn was spent on feasibility", adding that the project was approved after the government had "seen for itself that my project was operating".
The Deputy Attorney General, meanwhile, told the court that until now Rs4.69bn have been spent on the Thar coal project but electricity was yet to be generated.
"It was the Sindh government's responsibility to run this project," the DAG reminded the SC bench.
The court instructed the federal government to furnish its report on the project within six weeks before adjourning the case till an unspecified date.
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Comments (41) Closed
Dec 06, 2018 02:25pm
Dr Samar is not the only responsible person for wasting tax payer money but there are others too who were with him in this fraud.Please do not sensanationalise the loot but bring back the loot.
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Dec 06, 2018 02:25pm
heaps of corruption in atomic energy commission. who will take notice
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Dec 06, 2018 02:27pm
He must be punished for wasting Gov money. Plus who approved his projects also punished so in future no one dare to waste money.
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Dec 06, 2018 02:31pm
@ahmad, In all so called R&D institute with no audit and infinite funds.
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Dec 06, 2018 02:31pm
@ Danish- Govt money?- Its the peoples money.
Of course a good percentage would have gone to those higher up the chain.
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Dec 06, 2018 02:42pm
4.69bn Rs would equal £26.7 Million pounds approx i think? is this right
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Dec 06, 2018 02:43pm
The story of plunder continues.When most politicians are busy building overseas properties with looted money,why should a scientist keep his hands clean.I feel sorry for Pakistan and its people who have lost a lot and continue to loose even now. Imagine if Pakistan had zero corruption,we will be one of the richest country in the world today.
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Dec 06, 2018 02:57pm
Good, so much fishy on thar projects
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Dec 06, 2018 02:59pm
Charging a scientist for experimenting a technology? Soon all scientist will be in prison for not getting the desired results. Govt spent billions of dollars on research projects around the globe but not every project gets the full desired result. Something is wrong with this whole process.
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Dec 06, 2018 03:09pm
Another saaf pani type scam
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Dec 06, 2018 03:09pm
How many MW of electricity is going to be produced from the Rs 5 billion investment ?
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Dec 06, 2018 03:17pm
Thar project is reality. It shouldn't be politicized. Have personally visited it, found it progressing. This is the only development whose credit should be given to Govt. of Sindh.
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Dec 06, 2018 03:20pm
@Justicefirst, ok, that is his duty now to tell the tale.
Unfortunately, it is not an excuse to save one's neck by saying that others weren't involved.
While not favouring others but at least any responsible person should not be let go on this behalf that many others were behind him.
Let it start and then by and by all others involved in this project of wastage could be caught with his cooperation ,at least in this regard.
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Dec 06, 2018 03:23pm
The only Pakistani scientist of any credibility was .......you know who?
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Dec 06, 2018 03:31pm
research always has risk of failure. this case will demotivate scientists in Pakistan for research. Any research can not guarantee 100 percent results.
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Dec 06, 2018 03:37pm
@mk,
Experiments are done in labs with controlled budget, not under the promise of miracles in the coal pits of Thar burning billions of rupees. I tbink you need to check your objective methods!
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Dec 06, 2018 03:51pm
There is not Thar project. It was a sham to begin with. Only on papers.
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Dec 06, 2018 04:03pm
Atomic energy commission has no external audit criteria!
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Dec 06, 2018 04:03pm
The scientest solo and grossly wrong flight. Why the govt believed in one scientest hollow claims. Why it didnt seek advise from other scientests??
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Dec 06, 2018 04:06pm
the Chairman of Atomic energy commission should directly report to PM of Pakistan not any other authority and external audit of PAEC must be ensured.
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Dec 06, 2018 04:57pm
@Justicefirst, We fully respect the SC decisions to make enquiry on Dr Samarkand but first listen in detail to the version of Dr Samarkand. His hand may have been tied in making decisions which led to the millions losses
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Dec 06, 2018 05:13pm
@Danish,
He is a scientist, he can test the things in lab but it's success in the field is another matter, involves many other factors. Scientist punishment in this way will pave way for society to think the new ideas and try new things.
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Dec 06, 2018 05:14pm
one fails to understand that how such an eminent scientist, has missed the environmental threat of coalfired power plant to the fragile environments of Thar & other areas -a major cause of climate change due to greenhouse gases emissions & pollution of surface/underground water via coal dust contaminated discharge of wastewater, destruction of local flora/fauna. The key question remains that why an environmental impact assessment(EIA) of this project based upon outdated Chinese technology, was not carried out?
In the US, since last decade 44 coalfired power plant have closed down due to causing environmental degradation & any new plant apart from conducting an EIA undergoes sever scrutiny by all stakeholders. One wonders, that after spending Rs. 4 bn, causing clossal environmental damage, the failure of the project is not owned by the proposer. Merely relying on govt. approval of feasibility that too by those who never read it, will not suffice while dealing w/ such a huge liability
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Dec 06, 2018 05:16pm
The only thing should be seen is whether any money was made from it by the scientist. If not then there is nothing wrong in experimenting. New experimental projects are bound to fail. Has anybody been jailed for losses in PIA, Steel Mill, Pakistan Railways. If this is the case then every dry well found by OGDCL and PPL should also be given to NAB for checking that how come they invested our money on finding these dry wells (Pure stupidity). These guys have built our nuclear program and spent their lives in the shadows when our politicians who did not knew how to even speak without reading from parchis were saying that they made Pakistan the Nuclear Power. Please give them respect if they have not done any financial embezzlement.
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Dec 06, 2018 05:35pm
Tip of ice burg.
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Dec 06, 2018 05:43pm
Great example set for the country; now no one will be willing to take any extra step to achieve something for the country-Great reward for making Pakistan a nuclear state!
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Dec 06, 2018 06:01pm
Dr Samar is a national hero. He has immense contribution for the defense (Being head of atomic and missile programs for decades) of the homeland as i have the first hand knowledge about it. There is no doubt in his honesty, sincerity and patriotism.
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Dec 06, 2018 06:21pm
Dr Samad left Atomic Energy several years ago. This project has nothing to do with Atomic energy
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Dec 06, 2018 06:48pm
I fail to understand what expertise a nuclear scientist had to generate electricity from coal and why huge funds were provided to him? Was this the case of making/wasting tax payers money for personal gains like other similar exhibitional projects started during the last few years.
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Dec 06, 2018 06:55pm
Perhaps it was a pilot project with chances of failure, however Dr Mubarakmand should explain in detail reasons for failure for future education.
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Dec 06, 2018 07:42pm
We rejected the project 15 years ago but our brilliant scientists spent billions to find out.
This technology has not been commercialized anywhere.
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Dec 06, 2018 07:51pm
@mk, This was not an experiment nor was the project presented as such
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Dec 06, 2018 07:53pm
@Haider, Are you sure this project was presented as research? stop defending plunderers
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Dec 06, 2018 08:31pm
Dr Samar Mumbark should given audited accounts Rs 4.69bn, where is money spent, he already taken the reward and credit Atomic Bomb which he came last stage original pioneer is AQ Khan, due to some problem Dr Samar taken opportunity and taking all credit his name, now he took large amount and got caught he is liable to give account.
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Dec 06, 2018 08:32pm
Shocks, don't know who to believe or what to believe!!!!
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Dec 06, 2018 08:49pm
I have the opportunity to listen to him during FAST University convocation in Islamabad. He knows how to present him self. His speech was eye opener to us. We thought in Pakistan abundance of minerals and wealth is that has never been utilized by any one. Very soon Pakistan will be amongst the richest country in the world. After his speech we were made to believe that conspiracy in the country not letting us progress. We waited for many years but Samar Mubarak Mand project fail to make head lines. However some voices were heard that his tacnology is old and redundent that will not yield any results and it was true.
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Dec 06, 2018 10:10pm
Why we want these kind of scientists for these kind of projects? Just because they are renowned in their field of science does not mean they are able to work in the field of mining. Government should have hired a firm preferably a foreign firm who is expert in this field. It is just a waste of money.
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Dec 06, 2018 11:44pm
Before embarking on such projects, Pilot Projects are undertaken to prove the viability beyond doubts before going for the prototype.
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Dec 06, 2018 11:56pm
@mk, In essences agreed with your arguments however normally scientific community don't sensationalise the end results before experiment is completed and desired results are achieved...
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Dec 07, 2018 03:43am
So the good doctor says that he spent 1 billion rupees on feasibility studies.
This is beyond belief. Why is this thief not in jail.
The poor people of Pakistan have suffered because of these crooks who hide behind degrees and loot the people.
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Dec 07, 2018 06:01pm
I am so glad sc looked into this corruption by Mubarakmand. One billion for feasibility that’s the first lie and corruption. He cheated the nation trust and money and he should be punished. I been following his projects of thar from beginning , he was lying and has very little knowledge in this field. He maybe good in other field but the not the coal field. Theory in books he may knew but practical zero.
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