The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has adjourned the hearing of a case pertaining to the Saaf Pani Company till June 25, when Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif would join the inquiry.
On Monday, Sharif could not appear before the bureau owing to his engagements as the head of the PML-N, his counsel Amir Afzal told the court.
The case pertains to appointments in the Saaf Pani Company.
The provincial government had established the company to conceive, plan, design, execute and manage projects for provision of safe drinking water to communities living in unserved and underserved areas of the province.
Former Punjab finance minister Aisha Ghaus Pasha and Waheed Gul; Shehbaz sharif’ son-in-law Imran Ali Yousaf and son Hamza Shehbaz have also appeared before the anti-graft body in the case.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had on April 7 given a day to the Punjab Saaf Pani Company chief executive officer (CEO) and the provincial government to submit complete record, including details of salaries, perks and privileges of the staff and vehicles provided to them to perform their duties.
The apex court took a suo motu notice on the matter last month.
During court hearings, the chief justice expressed serious concern over exorbitant salaries and benefit packages for the company’s officials and the money being paid to foreign consultants for water projects. Advocate General Shakilur Rehman Khan pleaded the bench to grant time for preparation of a detailed and comprehensive report on the company and its performance.
During the proceedings, the chief justice also asked the CEO about his salary, who noted that his compensation was Rs1.4 million a month.
Published in Daily Times, June 5th 2018.
