LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has filed a civil miscellaneous application before the Supreme Court against the elements involved in filing a false complaint to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and a frivolous writ petition before the Lahore High Court against award of consultancy contract for Mohmand Dam.

According to a handout on Sunday, in the application filed before the five-member implementation bench of the Supreme Court, Wapda seeks apex court direction to the investigating agencies to find out the real culprit behind such frivolous exercises against the projects by unnecessarily involving the courts, the NAB and the executing organisations.

A complaint was lodged in the name of one Mehboob Elahi with the NAB on May 21, 2019 against award of the consultancy contract for Mohmand Dam Project. The NAB was requested to take action against Wapda for procuring the consultancy services in violation of the rules. Soon after, a writ petition was also filed in the LHC on May 25, 2019 again using the name and identity of Mr Elahi, seeking a stay order against the award of the said contract.

The NAB started a probe into the matter. Later on, the LHC also directed the NAB chairman to decide the complaint.

Subsequently, Wapda provided complete record in the matter as requisite by the NAB, stating that the whole process was completed in accordance with the relevant rules.

Meanwhile, the NAB also summoned the complainant - Mehboob Elahi, a resident of Choti Zerein, Dera Ghazi Khan district – through its Multan office and the police to substantiate his case.

Mr Elahi, however, denied filing any complaint to the NAB or writ petition in the LHC, stating that neither he has any link with the complaint and the petition, nor he was interested in becoming part of the proceedings.

Consequently, the complaint was dismissed by the NAB chairman after adopting due process of law.

WAPDA in its application mentioned that it is clear from the attitude of the petitioner that somebody, if not him, was trying to create hindrance in the smooth and timely construction of Mohmand Dam.

It also speaks volumes about the modus operandi of the fourth generation warfare being used against the implementation of a project of immense national importance, the CMA further states.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2019