Earlier in the afternoon, Yasin led a CDA employees rally in support of the Pakistan Army. STOCK IMAGE
The Islamabad Police on Tuesday arrested union leader Chaudhry Yasin -- considered the CDA’s most powerful staffer – for allegedly violating Section 144 and the Amplifier Act during a rally held in support of the Pakistan Army.
The day kept getting worse for the union boss, as the Federal Investigating Agency later sought comments from the CDA chairman on an application accusing the union leader of corruption, embezzlement, nepotism and manipulating routine working in the CDA. The application was filed by a CDA employee.
Earlier in the afternoon, Yasin led a CDA employees rally in support of the Pakistan Army.
According to a First Information Report (FIR) lodged with the Aabpara Police Station on the complaint of city magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Chandio, the rally organisers were warned of the ban on public gatherings in Islamabad.
“But the rally continued anyway,” he said, adding that the FIR also included names of other union office bearers.
The Aabpara police confirmed that Yasin was in police custody and an FIR had been lodged against him.
Yasin was also accused of providing manpower to the political parties involved during the sit-ins in Islamabad last year.
Meanwhile, an application filed with the FIA alleged that Yasin that was engaged in “systematic corruption” and used the powerful CDA union to shore up his personal bank accounts and establish a business in China, besides getting his relatives jobs in the CDA, which is against service rules.
The applicant alleged that three of Yasin’s sons, two of his daughters, and all five of their respective spouses were CDA employees.
The application further stated that Yasin had misused his position to get jobs for a number of other individuals after receiving bribes.
“The FIA should investigate how a CDA employee [Yasin], who joined the authority [CDA] as a storekeeper, managed to establish a shoe factory in China and acquire several residential plots in Islamabad over such a short period of time,” the application contends.
Incidentally, Yasin retired from CDA almost two years ago but is still general secretary of the CDA labour union.
The applicant also questioned Yasin’s lavish lifestyle and the protocol he enjoys at the CDA.
The FIA through a letter, available with The Express Tribune, has asked the CDA chairman to comment on the issue.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case regarding the alleged illegal promotions of hundreds of CDA employees during the previous government’s tenure. The promotions were allegedly a government attempt to fend off immense pressure from Yasin.
In the past, he allegedly physically-harassed CDA officers who refused to carry out his whims.
Talking to The Express Tribune from the police station, Chaudhry Yasin termed all the allegations against him as “a pack of lies” and actions to give him a bad name. “It’s a continuous process. My opponents habitually write anonymous letters against me to the FIA, NAB, or even the apex court,” he said, adding that it meant nothing to him.
He said no one stand to see could see a poor man like him openly defending the rights of his colleagues and refused to comment any further.
On the FIR, he said he was booked under a bailable offence, but “the police have illegally detained me for the past four hours”.
Yasin was still in custody and CDA employees were still protesting outside Aabpara Police Station till the filing of this report.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2015.
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