MUZAFFAR ABAD: Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali claimed on Wednesday that the 969-megawatt Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project would start production by January next year.

`More than 90 per cent work on this mega project has been completed and it will be commissioned early next year to help overcome the energy crisis in the country,` he told journalists in Chattar Klass, some 20km south of here, after visiting the project site there.

He however underlined the need of a proper investigation by the National Accountability Bureau into the delay in completion of the project as well as escalation in its cost beyond the sanctioned amount in PC-1.

`This project was subjected to deliberate delay and corruption of billions of rupees which must be investigated thoroughly,` he said.

He alleged that the previous governments did not pay attention to power production, due to which the whole nation was suffering.

`But we are determined to bring thecountry out of darkness in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,` he claimed.

The minister hit out at PTI chief Imran Khan, saying he must tell the public as to who had offered him Rs 10 billion on behalf of the prime minister.

`Imran Khan has lost his senses... By hurling this baseless allegation he has exhausted his last card (in politics) and is now empty-handed,` he said, claiming that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would hold the PTI chief accountable very soon.

While alleging that Mr Khan`s life was full of scandals, he asserted that the PML-N did not believe in the politics of revenge orpersonalattacks.

Pouring scorn on former president Asif Ali Zardari, the minister said he should not rail against corruption, `as he was known as the king of corruption across the globe` `All thieves and dacoits have joined hands with each other to destabilise the elected government of Nawaz Sharif, but they will fail.

`We will continue to work for the development and prosperity of the country, while Mr Khan and his likes will continue to weep,` he said.