Former Wapda chairman Muzammil Hussain appears before NAB

LAHORE: Former Chairman WAPDA lieutenant general (retd) Muzammil Hussain on Monday appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) where he would be grilled over the delay in the Tarbela Fourth Hydropower project that caused losses of millions of dollars to the national exchequer, ARY NEWS reported.

A single-member team of the NAB will grill the former WAPDA chairman after the accountability watchdog received multiple complaints regarding corruption and delay in mega projects that resulted in losses to the national exchequer.

The NAB case against lieutenant general (retd) Muzammil Hussain stated that during his three-year tenure, WAPDA suffered losses due to a delay in projects.

“Corrupt practices of USD 753 million have been identified in Tarbela Fourth Hydropower project,” it said and added that contractors were made illegal payments.

Former Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Muzammil Hussain had skipped the NAB’s previous hearing into a hydropower project scam.

The accountability watchdog has summoned the ex-chairman of Wapda, Lt. Gen. (retd) Muzammil Hussain again for a hearing on June 20 with the record.

The 1410 megawatts Tarbela Hydropower Project IV has been nearing completion but it has highest per unit construction cost in the country.

Former Wapda chairman Muzammil Hussain had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the first week of May.

In August 2021, the Ministry of Water Resources extended his term of office and notified Muzammil Hussain as the chairman Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) for a second consecutive term of five years.