Naveed Qamar, Khawaja Asif to testify as NAB witnesses in Nandipur project reference

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has submitted a list of its 35 witnesses in accountability court in Nandipur power project reference including two former ministers Naveed Qamar and Khawaja Asif, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The accountability court will hear the NAB reference against the accused including former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and former law minister Babar Awan on March 19.

ARY News has received a copy of the list of the 35 witnesses of NAB including former federal ministers Pakistan People’s Party’s Naveed Qamar and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s stalwart Khawaja Asif.

Apart of the two former ministers the officials of the Ministry of Water and Power and the Ministry of Law are also among the witnesses.

Three investigation officers of the accountability bureau are also included in the list of witnesses submitted at the accountability court.

The accountability court indicted seven accused, including Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Babar Awan in Nandipur Power Project reference yesterday.

Accountability Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik read out charges against the accused who pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the charges.

The judge directed the NAB to present witnesses to record their testimonies.

Earlier on March 8, Babar Awan withdrew his plea seeking acquittal in the graft case.

NAB has named former PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Babar Awan, former law secretary Riaz Kiyani, Masood Chishti, ex-consultant Shumaila Mahmood, former joint secretary Riaz Mahmood and ex-secretary Shahid Rafique as accused persons in the case.

According to NAB officials, delays in the completion of Nandipur Power Project caused the national exchequer a loss of Rs27 billion.