recorder report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Communication Minister Murad Saeed on Friday alleged that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal have caused a loss of Rs 60-70 billion to the national exchequer in Multan-Sukkur Motorway project.

Talking to the media here on Friday, Murad Saeed said corruption done in mega infrastructure projects will be unearthed and the looted amount will be recovered.

He said PML-N government signed an MoU for construction of Multan-Sukkur motorway with a company against Rs 259 billion and, later the cost was increased up to Rs 292 billion due to financial mismanagement and the project suffered a huge loss.

Murad alleged that the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal signed a contract for the construction of the Multan-Sukkur motorway with the company of Javed Sadiq.

"Sadiq was placed as the front man by PML-N to embezzle the project funds," the minister said and added the government has subsequent proofs against him.

While criticising the former minister, Saeed said Ahsan Iqbal has disguised himself as an honourable man. The case has gone to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and he will provide evidence as well as pursue its progress, he vowed.

Terming the Multan-Sukkur motorway as a first episode of the mega corruption cases in the ministry, he said scores of financial irregularities have been unearthed.

The minister said next episode will include how the funds of billions of rupees were transferred to Larkana and Multan in tenure of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

He said indiscriminate accountability will continue to bring back the looted money. He said the PTI government will continue transparent and indiscriminate accountability as it is the part of PTI manifesto.

He said the Ministry of Communication has recovered Rs 5.33 billion in five months and vowed to recover the looted amount from the corrupts.