ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau on Monday apprised the Supreme Court of Pakistan that the real outstanding amount against Turkish power plant ship Karkey, Karadeniz Elek trik Uretin, stood at $120 million, an amount which was mutually calculated by the authority and the petitioner.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sh. Azmat Saeed disposed of a plea moved by PML-Q legislator Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat over the Karkey issue.

However, the bench in its order observed that if at any stage the amount surged, it would be the responsibility of the chairman NAB to recover it.

Faisal Saleh Hayat, during proceedings, contested that according to his calculation, the amount stood around $128 million as it included $8 million as rental charges.

Colonel retired Shahbaz Bhatti, NAB investigation officer, informed the bench that they held a meeting with the petitioner and the outstanding amount against Turkish flag carrier ship mounted power plant, was fixed as $120 million.

He also submitted a statement countersigned by the chairman NAB.

Prosecutor General NAB Karim Khan Agha reminded the bench that the chairman NAB was the final authority.

The Chief Justice observed that the petitioner had unearthed a vital scam in power sector which would be a deterrence for other sectors.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed that the NAB should secure bank guarantee from the ship in case it left the country’s maritime, recovery would become difficult.

Karim Khan Agha said that the undertaking for not allowing the ship to leave had been withdrawn but they had already cautioned the ship.

On last Wednesday, the Supreme Court had granted time to National Accountability Bureau Prosecutor General Karim Khan Agha and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid MNA Faisal Saleh Hayat to sit together to settle the alleged outstanding amount of $243 million against Karkey Rental Power Plant, a Turkish ship-mounted power plant and apprise it with the outcome.