THURSDAY JULY 19: Arrest warrants in RPP deals: NAB not sharing names with power, water ministry

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB), has, reportedly finalised warrants for arrest of officials involved in 'non transparent' Rental Power Plant (RPP) deals however it is not ready to share the names with the relevant Ministry of Water and Power, well informed sources told Business Recorder.
Recently, NAB arrested Rana Muhammad Amjad, General Manager, Wapda Private Power Organisation (WPPO) who, according to NAB, was involved in this scam but NAB did not clarify what role he played in RPP contracts.
"NAB claims that it has finalised arrest warrants for those implicated in RPP scam but their names are not being shared with us," said an official of Water and Power Ministry on condition of anonymity.
On March 30, 2012, Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled that RPP contracts were non-transparent and ordered that these be rescinded. An official who is familiar with the latest developments in NAB revealed that efforts are being made to exonerate Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf from RPP scam and make other officials who acted on his instructions as scapegoats. Raja Pervez Ashraf at the time also Chairman Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) approved these RPPs.
According to the official, a former PPIB Managing Director, Fayyaz Elahi, a Canadian national, then Director (of the project), now Acting Managing Director and other tariff related officials played a key role in the clearance of some RPPs.
The apex court had also directed NAB chairman Admiral Fasih Bokhari (retired) to proceed with corruption references against those who were at the helm of affairs when the contracts were signed between 2006 and 2008 to overcome a widening energy shortfall through RPPs as a stopgap arrangement. The Supreme Court verdict held that all RPP contracts - solicited and unsolicited signed off or operational, right from 220MW Bhikki Sheikhupura and 136MW Sharaqpur up to Piranghaib and Naudero-I and II - were entered into in contravention of PPRA rules. Besides suffering from other irregularities, the contracts also violated the principle of transparency and fair and open competition. The NAB has finalised a list of the accused in RPPs case but is refusing to release their names, said a source in the Ministry of Water and Power.
Liaquat Jatoi and Raja Pervez Ashraf have been questioned. During their tenures down payment to different RPPs was raised from seven to 14 percent after the bidding process had been completed. The Supreme Court judgement says: "the functionaries of Pepco, Gencos, Pakistan Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), along with sponsors (successful bidders) who derived financial benefits from the RPP contracts, are prima facie involved in corruption and corrupt practices. Therefore, they are also liable for both civil and criminal action".