An inquiry has been initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, against the officials of the Public Health Engineering Department for Rs. 756 million corruption in the National Drainage Program schemes.
According to the initial investigation, most of these schemes were awarded to preferred contractors, while nine contracts were awarded to a company belonging to a close relative of a federal minister.
NAB KP received a complaint about corruption in the National Drainage Program, following which an investigation was started and it was revealed that the program was executed by the Government of Pakistan in collaboration with the World Bank till 2004 and after that, it was funded by the Asian Development Bank and the federal government.
The preliminary probe revealed that out of 25 schemes under the program, most of them were awarded to hand-picked blue-eyed contractors at the 190 percent rate violating the codal formalities.
“The contractors further sublet the projects at 145 percent rate and 45 percent amount was pocketed. Some of the projects were not completed on the ground. Record of all the schemes has been seized for investigations. The company of a close relative of a federal minister was given at least nine schemes”, the investigation unveiled.
It also came to light that the contractors conducted substandard work and as a result burdened the national exchequer.
