MULTAN: An official meeting of the Multan Electric Power Company (Mpeco) on Tuesday is attracting controversy because of a strange participant.

The meeting was chaired by State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali and attended by top Mepco officials from the chief executive officer (CEO) to executive engineers (EXENs) to discuss official issues, sources said.

The private person, Javed Niaz, who entered the meeting room in the company of the minister, is a prime suspect in a Rs600 million power theft case being probed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Mepco CEO Masood Salahuddin confirmed the presence of Mr Niaz in the meeting, adding that he had not been invited to the meeting by the company. The three-hour meeting discussed loadshedding, billing and recovery, line losses, outstanding liabilities, defaulters’ cases and receivables.

Sources said Mr Niaz turned up to some official meeting after six months. Earlier, he was a frequent visitor to Mepco offices and meetings. He disappeared after former secretary for water and power Younas Dagha directed Mepco authorities not to follow Mr Niaz’s, who is known as the front man of the junior minister, dictates for transfers and postings.

As the secretary was transferred and posted commerce secretary last month, Mr Niaz struck back with attending the high level company meeting along the state minister on Tuesday.

Sources said Mr Niaz with his grouchy and sulky looks gave a strong message to Mepco officials that he still had right connections in the power corridor.

In February last, NAB initiated a probe into the case of Rs600 electricity theft after its complaint board authorised a complaint verification against EXENs Javed Iqbal Wains and Akram Bhatti and Mr Niaz.

The three people are accused of stealing power, revising electricity bills illegally, tampering with commercial, private and industrial electric metres and committing illegal transfers and postings against bribe.

According to a NAB handout, they were also probing into benami properties worth over Rs100 million into the case.

“It is also learnt that an inquiry was ordered by the secretary of water and power but no result was achieved. Another complaint on similar allegations is in process against the public office holders and the private person,” the handout stated.

A three-member committee, headed by Federal Complaint Cell Director Syed Saleem Ahmad, in its findings on November 28, stated the violation of monthly adjustment bills was detected and an average assessment of adjustments was Rs642 million in the Cantonment Division alone.

CEO Salahuddin said that the Mepco authorities were also surprised over the presence of Mr Niaz in the meeting.

“Mepco has nothing to do with him. We did not stop him from attending the meeting as he came to the room with the minister. In the past, he would attend such meetings as well,” he said.

State minister Abid Sher Ali was not available for comment.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2017