Most of the corruption-tainted politicians including two former Prime Ministers have been shown the door in the general elections with the exception of President Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who has returned to the National Assembly. Corruption scams worth billions of rupees were highlighted during Yousuf Raza Gilani's four-year tenure as Prime Minister of Pakistan including two scams implicating two of his sons.
Major financial scams are as follows: (i) Rental Power Plants (RPPs). Supreme Court of Pakistan scrapped all RPPs because of lack of transparency. RPPs retired Rs 2 billion mobilisation advance and are planning to approach ICA, London. The NAB recovered Rs 1091 million from Pakistan Power Resource/Walters International, Rs 546 million from Techno Energy, Rs 50 million from Young Generation, Rs 225 million from Gulf and Rs 100 million from Reshman. Total amount involved in the case is around $223.58 million. The NAB is conducting an inquiry against Raja Pervez Ashraf, Liaquat Jatoi and other officials.
The sources said NAB has questioned the officials of Water and Power Ministry, National transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) and Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB). However, former Managing Director PPIB Fayyaz Elahi, who left the country prior to commencement of investigation and former Prime Minster Raja Pervez Ashraf have not been interrogated despite the fact that their signatures are very clear on documents of RPPs. A day after he lost the elections, the NAB summoned Raja Parvez Ashraf in connection with the case.
Raja Pervez Ashraf was subjected to a humiliating defeat in general elections from PML(N) candidate Raja Akhlas despite the fact that he spent billions of rupees at the tax payers' expense in his constituency. (ii) National Insurance Company Limited (NICL): The company caused a loss of Rs 900 million to the exchequer due to mis-procurement of land and property. According to official records, former Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, his family members, Ayaz Niazi, former Chairman NICL Mohsin Warraich, and Moonis Elahi, son of former Chief Minister, Punjab, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi were allegedly involved in this mega scam. Moonis Elahi was acquitted by a judge of the banking court Lahore whereas other accused are still at large. There has been no conviction except that of Ayaz Niazi. Moonis Elahi has won a provincial assembly seat.
One of the principal accused, Makhdoom Amin Fahim and his family bagged four seats in the National and Sindh Assemblies. When contacted, Makhdoom Amin said that the main reasons for his party's poor performance in general elections were due to media campaign from day one and judiciary's role. He maintained that as polling day neared "Naya Pakistan" slogan was launched, which damaged his party.
In reply to a question, he said that media had brainedwashed the people against PPPP and in favour of other parties. He, however, acknowledged that the organisation of his party was also weak. Answering another question, he said that PPPP had to examine all the weaknesses in the party's organisation structure. (iii) Hajj Scam: former Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamid Raza Kazmi, who contested general elections as an independent candidate, has been defeated. (iv) Fertiliser distribution scam: According to official documents, former Industries Minister Manzoor Wattoo and top officials of Industries Ministry including NFML top brass were involved in misappropriation of billions of rupees. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is conducting an inquiry; however none of the accused has been convicted for far.
Manzoor Wattoo and all his family members lost in the general elections 2013. (vii) Railways procurement scam: Billions of rupees loss to the exchequer in procurement of locomotives was evident whereas Rs 80 million has been recovered by NAB so far. Corruption charges were levelled against former Federal Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour. Corruption in the sale of scrap, various purchases, sale of railway tracks and purchase of spares for 69 Chinese locomotives made headlines but no official has been convicted so far. Bilour has lost his seat to Chairman Tehreek-i-Insaf, Imran Khan.
(viii) Ephedrine Compound case: Former Health Minister, Makhdoom Shahab ud Din, Former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's son and Hanif Abbasi, a PML (N) candidate for National Assembly from Rawalpindi, were allegedly involved in Ephedrine allocation quota scam. All lost in the elections. Anjum Aqeel, who was allegedly involved in Police Foundation real estate scam also lost to Makhdoom Javed Hashmi of PTI in Islamabad.
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