Taking notice of the ever-increasing public complaints and media reports against the unannounced loadshedding in Karachi, National Accountability Bureau (NBA) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Thursday ordered a probe into the dealings of the Karachi Electric, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The NAB chief directed NAB Karachi to also look into overbilling worth billions and not completely fulfilling the agreement K-Electric inked with Government of Pakistan under which it promises to make an investment for modernizing the electricity system apart of the probe against the company.

A NAB spokesman said NAB chairman's has tasked NAB Karachi to get a copy of the agreement of K-Electric, relevant documents, investment details and directed to complete the inquiry against K-Electric within three months.

“K-Electric did not fully abide by the agreement. NAB always believes in performing its duties in accordance with the law,” the NAB spokesman said.

NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal said K-Electric will not be allowed to extort billions of rupees from the public of Karachi through overbilling, resort to unannounced long power shutdowns amid non-compliance of the agreement.

“National Accountability Bureau believes in impartial accountability,” Javed Iqbal said.

During the last federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad, Prime Minister Imran Khan has called a meeting on the power shutdown and matters related to electricity loadshedding in Karachi. The matter to increase electricity tariff of K-Electric was deferred.

On the other hand, K-Electric Chief Executive Officer Moonis Abdullah Alvi in a press conference Wednesday maintained that no area in Karachi has been made to face loadshedding above eight hours. “KE demand is 3,560 megawatts and in the best case scenario they are able to provide 3,200 megawatts of electricity.”

He said work has been happening at around 15 to 20 feeders and during this maintenance work, power outages cannot be called load-shedding.

It may be mentioned here that Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar last week assured the people of Karachi that there would be no "unannounced electricity load shedding" in the city from last (Sunday).

Reference against Gwadar revenue officers

INP adds: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Balochistan on Thursday filed a reference against the revenue officers of the Gwadar city of Balochistan for causing Rs320 million loss to the national exchequer.

Former Tehsildar Gawadar Mohammad Jan Baloch, Naib Tehsildar Gwadar, Agha Zafar Hussain and former Qanoongo Noor Ahmed Siapad among others nominated in the reference filed in the accountability court Quetta for tempering record of Baloch Ward of district Gwadar.

As per the investigation carried out in the Gwadar land scandal, it was learned that ex-Tehsildar Gawadar Mohammad Jan Baloch, ex-Naib Tehsildar Gwadar Agha Zafar Hussain and former Qanoongo Noor Gwadar Ahmed Siapad and others in connivance with each other allegedly tempered the revenue record of Baloch Ward of Gwadar and illegally sold out land to private persons. The tempering in the revenue record caused loss to the tune of Rs320 million to the national kitty.

After completing the investigation conducted under the supervision of DG NAB Balochistan a reference has been filed in the accountability court Quetta against the revenue officers and five others.

It merits mentioning here that NAB Balochistan is also probing into the alleged corruption charges in the government land of Gazarwan Ward, Kolgari Ward, Nagori Ward, Mouza Chib Raikani, Mauza Karwar of district Gwadar.

Likewise, Nab has also filed plenty of references involving millions of rupee corruption in the land scams of port city of Gwadar.