Islamabad, Jun 4 (UNI) Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is expected to appear before the National Accountability Bureau in connection with the Punjab Saaf Pani Company scam on Monday.
“Shahbaz Sharif will appear before the NAB on Monday to reply its queries with regard to the Saaf Pani Company. Mr Sharif has served the people of the province with full dedication and honesty and he will clarify any matter in this regard,” Pakistani daily Dawn quoted Malik Muhammad Ahmad, ex-Punjab government spokesman as saying.
Early last month, the NAB had issued a notice to Sharif asking him to appear before a combined investigation team of NAB Lahore in connection with the affairs of the company.
In April, the Supreme Court was informed during a hearing in case that despite Rs4 billion being spent on this project not a single drop of clean water has been made available to the citizens.
A two-member bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar conducted the hearing of the suo motu case regarding alleged irregularities in appointments in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company (PSPC).
The company’s CEO had told the court that Rs300 million had been spent on the services of foreign consultants so far, an estimated amount of Rs150 billion had been allocated for the whole project, while 116 plants of clean water installed at a cost of Rs4 billion, the daily said.
The NAB in November last had launched a thorough probe into alleged corruption in the 56 public-sector companies formed by Shahbaz Sharif administration in Punjab.
These companies are accused of certain irregularities, recruitment in violation of procurement rules and merit, nepotism, and non-completion of various projects in time.
There has been a lack of performance and regular audit and non-transparent procedure of tendering in these companies which come under direct supervision of the chief minister.
Shahbaz Sharif had also appeared before NAB for alleged misuse of authority in the award of a contract in the Rs14 billion Ashiyana Housing scam and recorded his statement.
UNI XC SB 1025