Murad Ali Shah, in his earlier role as an adviser to the Sindh chief minister on finance and energy, was responsible for financial irregularities that led to a $16 million loss to the national treasury
By our correspondent
KARACHI: In a significant ruling, a special accountability court has acquitted Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and others involved in the Nooriabad Power Plant case, citing a lack of evidence of personal gain or misconduct. The court concluded that there was no indication of excessive costs or financial mismanagement associated with the project, clearing Shah of all charges linked to allegations of misuse of authority and financial impropriety.
The Nooriabad Power Company, launched in 2014 as the first public-private partnership project in Sindh, had been under scrutiny as part of a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation. The project, which cost Rs13 billion, saw the Sindh government holding a 49 percent stake, while the remaining 51 percent was owned by a private company. A key component of the project, a 95-kilometer double-circuit transmission line from Nooriabad to Karachi, was built for Rs1.95 billion to facilitate electricity delivery.
Allegations had centered on claims that Shah, in his earlier role as an adviser to the Sindh chief minister on finance and energy, was responsible for financial irregularities that led to a $16 million loss to the national treasury. However, the court found no credible evidence to support these accusations. In fact, it was noted that the Nooriabad Power Plant has been a profitable venture since 2019, contributing taxes to the national treasury and operating within its designed capacity to supply electricity.
The court’s decision follows a previous ruling by the accountability court in Islamabad, which also acquitted Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and all others involved in the Nooriabad Power Project. The Islamabad court had accepted NAB Chairman’s request to withdraw the reference, which led to today’s final ruling in the case. Shah’s legal team welcomed the decision, reiterating that the delays and challenges faced by the project were due to bureaucratic hurdles and regulatory issues rather than any misconduct or financial misappropriation.
The Nooriabad Power Plant project was initially proposed in 2012 but only launched two years later amid such delays. This acquittal represents a significant moment for the Sindh government, as the project has played a crucial role in addressing the region’s energy needs. While the case had posed a political challenge for Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, today’s ruling underscores his administration’s efforts to implement public-private partnership projects that deliver both economic value and essential infrastructure for the province.