Misappropriation: Two senior PWD officials demoted in G-B

GILGIT:

Two senior officials of Gilgit-Baltistan’s (G-B) Public Works Department (PWD) have been demoted while another has been fined for allegedly misappropriating development funds. 

According to an official familiar with the matter, G-B Chief Secretary Sultan Sikandar took the decision to demote the officials on Friday in light of a recent enquiry conducted after the department received complaints from the public.

He said both officials allegedly embezzled and mismanaged funds in projects aimed at providing a steady supply of clean drinking water to residents of Danyor and Oshikhand areas. The PWD employees have been identified as superintendent engineer Rasheed Ahmed and executive engineer Sher Tula.

The government has also ordered PWD to recover Rs300,000 from each official. Meanwhile, another PWD official has been fined for similar reasons. Nisar Hussain, a sub-divisional officer, has been fined Rs200,000 for misappropriating funds in key projects.

For misusing power

Caretaker Chief Minister Sher Jehan Mir has approved the forced retirement of an official of the G-B directorate of education who had previously been suspended over corruption allegations.

According to insiders, Shah Murad, an education director, was suspended last year for making illegal appointments in the education department of Skardu and Ghanche districts. He was asked to prematurely retire from his post. G-B’s chief secretary had sent a summary of the case to the caretaker CM earlier this year, asking him to take immediate action against Murad.

Climbing the ladder

The All Pakistan Clerks Association G-B chapter has threatened to boycott duties if the regional government fails to offer promotions to its members. According to a press release issued by the association on Saturday, clerks will go on strike from March 30 onwards if their demands are not met.

Members of the association said the G-B government has repeatedly ignored this issue while their counterparts across the country have been promoted.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2015.