The Accountability Court Monday indicted former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, former law minister Babar Awan and others in Nandipur power project reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
While hearing the case, Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik read out the charge-sheet against Ashraf, Awan, Muhammad Masood Chishti, former secretary law, Justice Riaz Kiyani, former secretary law, Shamila Mahmood, former research consultant, Ministry of Law & Justice, Dr Riaz Mahmood, former senior joint secretary, Ministry of Law & Justice, and Shahid Rafi, former secretary Ministry of Water. The accused persons denied the charges and pleaded not guilty.
During the hearing, all the accused persons were present in the court room. The top anti-graft body - National Accountability Bureau (NAB) - had filed the reference on September 4, 2018.
The accused Awan requested the court to conduct hearing of the case on daily basis and fix the hearing for tomorrow (Tuesday). He said that as per law, trail of the case should be completed within one month. Media trial of the accused persons is continued for the last seven years and now the NAB is seeking refuge from real trial.
On this, the NAB prosecutor said that though it is provided in the law to complete the case within one month but due to burden of cases, daily hearing of the case is not possible. He requested the court to grant some time for arrangement of record and preparation of witnesses. The judge asked prosecution to produce evidence to substantiate the charges against the accused person. On the request of the prosecution, the court adjourned the hearing till March 19 and summoned first prosecution witness Muhammad Naeem.
The judge also observed that he will try to conclude the trial as soon as possible and conduct hearing on daily basis. The Bureau had authorised investigation against Awan, Ashraf and others for causing losses of Rs113 billion in the Nandipur power project. The project had been approved by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) in December 2007 at a cost of $329 million.
After approval, the contract was signed in January 2008 between the Northern Power Generation Company Limited (NPGCL) and the Dong Fang Electric Corporation (DEC), China. Two consortiums ie Coface for 68.967 million euros and Sinosure for $150.151 million were established for financing of the project.
The apex court had decided a petition regarding delay in the Nandipur project and nominated a commission consisting of former Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi to determine the responsibility for causes of delay. The Commission had conducted the inquiry by examining the record as well as witnesses and submitted its report in April 2012.
As per Judicial Commission's report, the officers and officials of the Ministry of Law and Justice were held responsible for the delay. Thereafter, the Ministry of Water and Power referred the matter to the NAB in the light of the report of Judicial Commission.