Senior officials in the Ministry of Petroleum are expected to come under considerable fire in the National Assembly standing committee on petroleum and natural resources, assigned to probe the controversial 3.5 million tons LNG contract. The speaker of National Assembly had referred the matter to the NA body which was given seven days to complete the probe and submit its report in the National Assembly after summoning the official record of the deal.
According to sources, NA body on petroleum and natural resources, headed by MNA Sheikh Waqas Akram, has summoned senior officials of the Petroleum Ministry to investigate the alleged scam in its meeting scheduled on Tuesday. During its proceeding, the NA body will quiz former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Fauji Foundation MD Lieutenant General (Retd) Rab Nawaz, Petroleum Minister Naveed Qamar, Special Secretary G A Sabri, Petroleum Secretary Kamran Lashari and former Petroleum Secretary Mahmood Saleem to assess the facts of the deal.
Sources expect surfacing of astounding revelations in respect of the LNG contract. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has already directed the Ministry of Petroleum to seek clearance of billions of dollars LNG deal from the Finance Ministry and Planning Commission, before issuing guarantees worth $300 million.
The reported scandal surfaced after Managing Director of Fauji Foundation approached former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and alleged that their joint proposal with Vitol was not entertained despite being the lowest bid. Ministry of Petroleum is of the view that Vitol/Fauji Foundation proposal came very late and their proposal was for a five-year period only.