Illegal plot allotment: Inquiry recommended against violators

Flawed process proves guilt.

ISLAMABAD:

One of the most attractive perks of a job in the capital’s civic agency, perhaps, is a plot. It is practically every bureaucrat’s dream to serve in the Capital development Authority (CDA) even if on deputation. But some of its officers got little impatient and circumvented rules, particularly those defining length of service, to grab a piece of the pie.

However, a fact-finding team investigating the allotment of plots to officers has brought to light serious violations of rules by the beneficiaries.

According to a report compiled by Inquiry Officer Dr Kazim Niaz, a copy of which was made available to The Express Tribune, offer letters were issued to even those officials who had neither participated in the balloting nor were eligible for plots.

It was found that the 113 offer letters were issued in a questionable manner from a hostel where the estate management director was residing.

The officers had earlier claimed that offer letters were issued to 109 officers who were declared eligible for plots in a balloting held on held on June 21, 2012.

Contrary to the claim, offer letters had been issued to only 88 officers. Offer letters were also issued to 22 officers, who were included at a later stage in the ballotting list without completing procedural requirements.

Before the fact-finding committee, former Estate Management-I director Naveedul Haq said the 22 officers were included in a list for balloting held on January 9. However, when asked for proof, he produced a list with his signature, but there was no mention of the official who authorised the balloting or the ballotting committee.

The inquiry committee found that Estate Management Assistant Director Ali Murtaza Bokhari signed the offer letters on Haq’s orders and despite his insistence, he was never shown written approval for the order.

After recording statements of a dozen officials, the fact-finding committee recommended initiating a formal inquiry against six officers. They are former director Haq, Administration Director General Laeeq Yousufzai, Estate Management Assistant Director Ali Murtaza Bokhari, Human Resource Development (HRD) Director Muhammad Ali, Sanitation Deputy Director Haseen Raza Zaidi and Capital Hospital Medical Technologist Abdul Waheed.

In light of evidence these officers are guilty of misconduct, misuse of authority and failure to discharge duties in accordance with official procedures, stated the report. The committee recommended initiating a formal inquiry against the officers in its report.

According to Bokhari’s statement, he was called to the office by Haq on the evening of January 9 to attend to “important” business. But later Haq took him to Waheed’s house where other officers were already present.

The officers asked him to sign the offer letters and when Bokhari asked them to produce orders of the CDA chairman or member estate he was assured he would be given the written order the next day.

Offer letters were issued mostly to officers who had not served in CDA long enough to qualify for a plot. The central character in the entire episode, Haq had not completed the prescribed length of service and the same is true for Yousufzai and HRD director, according to the inquiry committee’s findings.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2013.