Roshan project case: Qaim Ali Shah to appear before NAB today

ISLAMABAD: Former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah will appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) today in the Roshan Sindh project case.

The NAB summoned Qaim Ali Shah at NAB’s old headquarters at 2:00 pm today.

A questionnaire comprising 20 questions was sent to Shah over the illegal contracts of the solar system in different districts of Sindh.

Earlier on Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had extended the interim bail of Shah.

The NAB is holding an inquiry into complaints of massive corruption in the Roshan Sindh project initiated by the provincial government for the installation of solar streetlights across the province.

Earlier, six accused of the Roshan Sindh project have shown willingness to deposit Rs 75 million under a plea bargain. The accused including Aslam Pervez, Abdur Rasheed Channa, Zafar Enterprises, Aziz Tehseen, Baleedo, and Abid Arain have expressed willingness for a plea bargain.

According to details, the Sindh government on 22nd September 2014 approved the first project of Roshan Sindh to install 20,000 solar lights by June 2016 in major municipal and town committees across the province at a cost of Rs 4 billion.

The NAB is holding an inquiry into complaints of massive corruption in the Roshan Sindh project initiated by the provincial government for the installation of solar streetlights across the province.

Earlier, six accused of the Roshan Sindh project have shown willingness to deposit Rs 75 million under a plea bargain. The accused including Aslam Pervez, Abdur Rasheed Channa, Zafar Enterprises, Aziz Tehseen, Baleedo, and Abid Arain have expressed willingness for a plea bargain.

Read more: Roshan project case: IHC extends interim bail of Qaim Ali Shah

According to details, the Sindh government on 22nd September 2014 approved the first project of Roshan Sindh to install 20,000 solar lights by June 2016 in major municipal and town committees across the province at a cost of Rs 4 billion.

Reportedly, solar streetlights were installed on specific roads of certain cities, while most of the areas were ignored. Originally, 1,000 solar lights were to be installed in districts Malir and West Karachi, This project also turned out to be the costliest of them all, with each of the installed solar bulbs costing Rs 0.2 million.

The second project, estimated at Rs 3 billion, was meant to install solar lights in rural areas. This project was approved on 26th October 2016 and was supposed to be completed by June 2018.

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The third project, with a price tag of Rs 1.5 billion, was advertised as the second phase of the earlier scheme to install solar lights in rural areas. Around Rs 750 million have been spent on the project from the beginning of the current year that will be completed by 2020.