An accountability court in Lahore Monday acquitted Engineer Qamarul Islam, Waseem Ajmal and 14 others in Saaf Pani corruption case.
Judge Sajid Ali announced the verdict while allowing acquittal applications of the accused. The court had reserved the verdict on acquittal applications after hearing arguments and it was announced on Monday.
The court allowed acquittal applications of former director Saaf Pani Company Engineer Qamarul Islam, former CEO Waseem Ajmal, Col (retd) Tahir Maqbool, Maj (retd) Muhammad Khalid Khan, Masroor Ahmad, Adnan Aftab, Muhammad Yousaf, Masoodul Hassan Kazmi and Mohiuddin and others. The NAB alleged that the accused caused a loss of Rs370.5 million to the national exchequer.
The bureau accused that the accused purchased water filtration plants at exorbitant rates, whereas, civil, electrical and solar works were also executed at exorbitant rates. It is pertinent to mention here that the court declared Imran Ali Yousaf and Rabia Imran, son-in-law and daughter of Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, as absconders over their continued non-appearance in Saaf Pani corruption case. The court had also ordered to confiscate their assets. The bureau had alleged that former CEO Saaf Pani Company illegally approved payment of Rs24.7 million to the management of Ali and Fatima Developers Private Limited in lieu of the office rent for the Saaf Pani Company despite the fact that the possession was not taken.
