Tauqir Sadiq arrested in Abu Dhabi

ISLAMABAD: In a major development on Wednesday, the main accused in the mega Rs80 billion corruption, former chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), Tauqir Sadiq, was arrested by the Interpol in Abu Dhabi on the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

“Yes, the main accused in the mega scam, former chairman Ogra Tauqir Sadiq, has been detained by Interpol in Abu Dhabi,” confirmed the NAB spokesman Zafar Iqbal when approached for confirmation.

The NAB spokesman said the bureau had sent a request to the Interpol for the arrest of Tauqir Sadiq. “The joint team of NAB, police and FIA is in Abu Dhabi and will bring Tauqir Sadiq back into the country within a day or two after completing procedures,” he said.

The Pakistani authorities had issued the Red Warrants for the arrest of the former Ogra chairman Tauqir Sadiq.

The Supreme Court had already declared Tauqir Sadiq asalready declared Tauqir Sadiq as “absconder” and given orders for his arrest. The Supreme Court had given Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of Punjab Police and National Accountability Court (NAB) ten days to ascertain the information on all those involved in helping Sadiq’s escape and submit a report in the court.

On the directives of the Supreme Court, the passport of Tauqir Sadiq had already been cancelled.Besides the former Chairman Ogra Tauqir Sadiq, Member Gas Mansoor Ali Muzaffar, Member Finance Ogra Mir Kamal Frid Bijarani, SO to former chairman Ogra Jawad Jamil were also accused in the reference for misuse of authority, embezzlement and loss to national exchequer to the tune of Rs44.57 billion.

So far the NAB has arrested Jawad Jamil SO to Tauqir Sadiq in Ogra case.The accused persons were alleged for misuse of authority, embezzlement and loss to national exchequer to the tune of Rs44.57 billion by converting operating income into non-operating income in violation of agreement signed with Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank, relocation of CNG stations, illegal appointments etc.

Sources in the NAB said the then chairman Ogra glaringly converted operating incomes of two public utilities ie. SNGPL and SSGC into non-operating income at one side resulted in Rs38 billion additional burden of revenue on consumers while on other side public gas utilities eroded a billion of rupees under the head of gas development surcharge (GDS).

Sources in the NAB said Tauqir Sadiq along with others not only misused his authority but also involved in illegal re-location of CNG sites despite the federal government ban on new CNG stations.

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