The probe into LNG scam has turned another twist as the anti graft body has decided to peruse the statement of Mubin Saulat who was main accused in the scam but now become an approver against main accused former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail as both are languishing in the jail
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News / Online - 07th November, 2019) The probe into LNG scam has turned another twist as the anti graft body has decided to peruse the statement of Mubin Saulat who was main accused in the scam but now become an approver against main accused former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail as both are languishing in the jail.Mubine Saulat Managing Director inter state gas service (ISGS) has submitted his three pages statement before anti graft body National Accountability Bureau and admitted that Khaqan Abbasi ordered him to float the LNG tender with the corroboration of foreign firm and he acted upon his orders with ITS letter and spirit and did not resist.
A well placed source in Anti graft body told that the investigation officers of NAB are now investigation whether Mubin Saulat applied his mind in discharging his duty or acted as obedient servant and breached his oath he took before assuming the charge of this post.The law says that the public officer holder should use his own mind while discharge his responsibilities according to the law and should not bow before the higher authority.Public office holder should not become the personal servant to the rulers rather they should act within the parameter of law concerned.
The NAB officers are also reading minutely the supreme court orders where in the court has ordered the public office holders to discharge their duties according to the law and refused to act on the illegal orders of their higher authority and used their own mind.Mubin saulat stated in his written statement submitted to NAB that he was further directed to work with QED consultant engage by USAID through an agreement with ministry petroleum .
he said he was directed to float tender for the Fast Track LNG re gasification terminal on behalf of SSGC and to take assistance from SSGC for the development of the tender document.SSGC has nominated Rahat Kamal at the focal point from SSGC side , he stated.He sated that in order to fast track Track the process , he was directed to incorporate FSRU based solution and to put in the tender the requirement for the bidder to bring FSRU from abroad.
He also submitted that he was authorized by ISGS board comprising petroleum secretary ,additional secret and joint secretary petroleum , chief secretary Baluchistan and other senior officer from petroleum ministry etc authorized him to float tender on behalf of SSGC and same was approved by SSGC board.He stated that the bid of successful bidder was approved by SSGC board headed by Miftah Ismail with the direction to the managmentn to negotiate the LNG and LSA accordingly.
Mubin Saulat alleged that Miftah Ismail as chairman SSGC board single handled tackled the intitial LNG Cargo arrangement between PSO and SSGC.HE stated that as financial expert it was not possible for me to ascertain the prose and coin of establishing LNG terminal at the site of Engro terminal.The anti graft body in investigating on this aspect that ISGS was given mandate to handle this project on professional basis and whether the management of ISGS and particular its MD Mubin Sault applied his mind to resist all this illegality which was his constitutional obligation as public servant.
The record so far has not been provided to NAB in which it was transpired that Mubin had resisted for doing wrong act but he acted as stand spectator and acted as obedient servant of then rulers who are now languishing in the jail in this scam as their cases are now being tried in the court of law .Mubin Sault along with then petroleum secretary Abid Saeed has now become an approval against Khhaqan Abbasi and Miftah Ismaiel and are giving complete details how the corruption was committed in LNG terminal project.
The ant graft authority source privy to the development divulged that members of ISGC board including Joint and Additional secretaries of petroleum division are likely to be arrested as the evidence of their involvement is likely to be proved. They were members of ISGS board of director who give green signal to the project and did not raise any objection on its execution as per available record.
