ISLAMABAD: A Sub-Committee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges discussed the issue concerning Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon, accused of involvement in stealing electricity, and sought a comprehensive inquiry report in its next meeting.

The sub-committee met with Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry in the chair at the Parliament House on Friday. The committee discussed the question of privilege raised by Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon regarding "baseless and fabricated" story about stealing of electricity concocted against his prestige for defamation among the public through media.

The Sub-Committee also sought details of the Wapda's Superintending Engineer (SE), Executive Engineer (XEN) and sub-divisional officer (SDO)'s properties in Shujaabad, service records, and details of power theft allegations against Rana Qasim Noon, in its next meeting.

The Committee also asked the GM Technical to take the mobile phones of these three officers and get them forensic. Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha said that according to MNA Rana Qasim Noon, the agriculture land had been given on release (contract) for 10 years, where the electricity was being stolen through "kunda system". He said that the WAPDA should lodge a FIR against the contractor instead of MNA Qasim Noon.

He said that Rana Qasim Noon was not using electricity, and the FIR against him damaged him politically. He said this case should be studied and if the FIR was wrong then investigation should be conducted, and action should be taken against those who were involved in it.

SDO Shujaabad, Muhammad Mubashir told the Committee that he and his team visited the place (Dera) of MNA Qasim Noon, and found direct supply of electricity from LT Line through cable. He said that the supply used for normal residential load of Dera of two acres, and also for agriculture water pump. He said that his team also found two transformers at Dera.

He said that, when asked, the personal assistant to the MNA about the land and use of electricity told that the land had been given to a contractor. The personal assistant of the MNA gave the name of the contractor but not the contractor's father's name.

He said that FIR was also lodged against the contractor. Convener Muhammad Junaid Anwar said that when an electricity meter was installed somewhere, and when the place was sold or given on rent, the meter remained in the name of the first person. He said that action should be taken against those who were using electricity.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020