Chiniot mining case adjourned till June 19

LAHORE: An Accountability Court on Monday has adjourned the hearing of Chiniot mining case until June 19, 2021 as the judge concerned was not available in the court.

The NAB had filed reference against former Punjab Minister for Mines and Minerals Muhammad Sibtain Khan along with eight other accused of illegally granting of a multi-billion contract to M/s Earth Resource (Pvt) Ltd (ERPL) with alleged abetment and connivance of the management of Punjab Mineral Development Corporation (PUNJMIN) regarding leasing rights of iron ore deposits located at Rajoa and Chiniot areas.

According to the reference, NAB Lahore launched a probe over a mining agreement between M/s ERPL and PUNJMIN’s management for mining of huge iron ore deposits comprising 500 metric tonnes located in Rajoa and Chiniot areas of Punjab.

The inquiry was authorised against ERPL’s CEO Arshad Waheed and the management of PUNJMIN which later revealed that former Minister Sibtain Khan in abetment with officers of PUNJMIN allegedly with mala fide intentions permitted the illegal joint venture agreement between PUNJMIN and ERPL in July 2007 knowing the fact that M/s ERPL had no past experience in mining.

Furthermore, the PUNJMIN agreed to awarding mining contract worth billions of rupees with simply 20 per cent gaining partnership to a company (ERPL) having merely Rs2.5 million surety.

The NAB Lahore arrested prime accused Sibtain Khan on June 14, 2019 while co-accused namely former Mines and Minerals former Secretary Imtiaz Ahmed Cheema, Operations and Planning (O&P) former General Manger M Aslam and former Punjab Mines Chief Inspector Abdul Sattar were also nabbed. Whereas remaining three co-accused namely Planning & Development (P&D), Punjab former Chairman Salman Ghani, legal adviser PUNJMIN/ex-director of ERPL M Shahid and PUNJMIN Managing Director Rao Manzar Hayat were arrested during the investigation process. Later, Rao Manzar Hayat turned approver against the alleged culprits.