NAB summons Gilani on 18th

MULTAN: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday summoned former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani to join the proceedings of two references in the Rs 82 billion Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) graft case on February 18.

A NAB official served the notice to Gilani’s personal secretary Arif Hussain on his behalf. The NAB has nominated 17 accused, including two former prime ministers - Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf - in the case. His secretary said that Gilani would appear before the NAB court.

The NAB has moved the references in compliance with the Supreme Court’s November 26, 2011 judgment. In its first reference, the accountability watchdog has nominated 12 people, including Tauqir Sadiq, a former chairman of Ogra.

The second reference is related to the illegal appointment of Tauqir and lists six names including that of the former premiers.It is worth mentioning that although the then minister for petroleum and natural resources Naveed Qamar NAB had been summoned for investigation, his name is not among the accused.

“On the appraisal of the material and evidence placed before me, I am satisfied that it is just and proper to proceed further against the accused as there is sufficient incriminating evidence available to justify the filing of reference,” pleaded NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry in the reference.

According to the second reference, the accused, Gilani, being an authority for the appointment of the Ogra chairman, nominated Ashraf - the then minister for water and power - as the selection committee chairman.

The reference said that Ashraf was neither the relevant minister nor had knowledge about Ogra and the PM’s Secretariat did not immediately object to the Cabinet Division’s January 16, 2009 note regarding the insertion of five ineligible candidates, including Tauqir, in the first round of the selection process.

It said former premier Gilani did not pass any order for the verification of credentials of candidates, neither at the time of selection nor even after Tauqir’s appointment as chairman.

“After the appointment of accused as chairman Ogra, former PM had directed him for the issuance of NOC for installation/re-location of CNG stations despite (the) ban imposed by Economic Coordination Committee,” it further said.

The reference said that Ashraf as the chairman of selection committee had recommendedTauqir and ignored many potential candidates, having rich experience of petroleum sector. The NAB also alleged that Tauqir had used his unrecognised and invalid LLM degree to obtain the post.