Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A powerful lobby in Establishment Division and National Highway Authority (NHA) is trying to appoint an officer as NHA member who is being probed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Rs 800 million corruption charges.

A source in the Ministry of Communication told Daily Times that NHA Member Admin Ejaz Jafar has been appointed as joint secretary communication and now efforts are underway for Sher Ali Mehsud’s induction as the NHA Admin member. Mehsud was made the NHA administration general manager on deportation and NHA Chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarar is trying to promote him.

Sources disclosed that Mehsud had worked in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where he was allegedly involved in Rs 100 million corruption in the funds of Nawaz Sharif Welfare Hospital in Swat. He was also blamed for giving Rs 700 million to some fraudsters. A case is under investigation against him in NAB Peshawar.

Sources said Tarar is close to the Prime Minister’s Office and he is using his influence for Mehsud’s promotion as Ejaz Jafar refused to obey his illegal orders. Tarar is working hand in glove with Establishment Division Secretary Tahir Shahbaz for Mehsud’s promotion.

Currently, additional charge of member administration has been given to NHA Finance Member Shoaib Ahmad but efforts are underway to get a clean cit for Mehsud from NAB, sources said, adding that political pressure is being used for this purpose.

Sources said further prime minister’s son- in-law Captain (r) Safdar enjoyed good relations with the NHA chairman and Mehsud is his ultimate choice.

Daily Times tried to contact Captain (r) Safdar, but he was not available for comment.

Due to interference in NHA and the ministry’s affairs former state minister for communication Hakeem Baloch resigned and later joined the Pakistan People’s Party. On the other hand, the auditor general of Pakistan in the financial year 2015-16 report also exposed Rs 400 billion corruption in NHA projects.