National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has lodged a reference against Pakistan Petroleum Limited’s (PPL) officials and a foreigner for embezzling billions from the national exchequer.
According to details, NAB has filed this reference at the complaint of Chairman PPL, Shams-ul-Islam, who contended that 5 high-ranking PPL officials misused their authority and signed a contract with an international company at an exorbitant rate with the help of a foreigner named Powell Merck, causing national exchequer to lose Rs. 20 billion.
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Former Managing Director (MD) PPL Asim Murtaza Khan, General Manager (GM) PPL Business Development Abdul Wahid, Chief Economist PPL Rahat Hussain, Saadullah, and Moin Raza Khan are the 5 top-ranked officials of the state-owned petroleum company indicted by NAB, all of whom have already obtained pre-arrest bails.
It is worth mentioning here that former MD PPL Asim Murtaza Khan, who is the primary accused in this case, had previously agreed to become a NAB witness against Dr. Asim Hussain, the former Petroleum Minister and a close aide to former president Asif Ali Zardari, in a Rs. 17 billion corruption reference.
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While approving the reference for hearing on 5 October, the Accountability Court Karachi has summoned the 5 PPL officials and issued an arrest warrant for the foreigner fugitive Powell Merck, who, at the moment, is at large.
Via: Jang
