NAB directed to file supplementary reference

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file its supplementary reference in Punjab Saaf Pani Company corruption case on next hearing. Earlier, the NAB's prosecutor stated that the supplementary reference was in its final stage and will be filed soon. The court therefore directed the prosecutor to ensure that the supplementary reference was filed by the next hearing on October 10.

PML-N's former MPA Raja Qamarul Islam and Waseem Ajmal are the prime suspects in the reference for being the former chairman and chief executive officer of the company, respectively. The NAB alleged that Qamarul Islam, being chairman of the company, was involved in awarding contracts of 84 water filtration plants at higher prices. It said the suspect got the contracts of 102 plants approved from the company's board of directors and committed forgery in the documents. The Bureau accused Waseem Ajmal of violating procurement rules and permitting the installation of water plants in Dunyapur tehsil beyond the scope of project.

The suspects denying the charges said that the reference was politically motivated and amounted to political victimization.