Fight against corruption: Government to refer Sindh graft cases to NAB

Decision taken after approval from Senate committee

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has decided to formally refer cases of misappropriation of billions of rupees development funds in Sindh to the country’s premier anti-graft watchdog.

After the approval of the Senate Standing Committee, the federal government took the decision to refer these cases of corruption, misappropriation of funds in Sindh to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).



According to the interior ministry, the government has now decided to file cases against project directors, directors-general of the concerned department authorities, engineers and some consultant companies and the resident engineers of the projects.

Read: Graft cases: SHC restrains NAB from arresting CMIT chief

“In this regard NAB has been directed by the government to prepare cases,” says a press release issued by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday.

It further says that the federal government is determined to pursue the references in accountability courts, including Larkana Development Package’s five projects amounting to Rs9 billion in six cases, Shaheed Benazirabad Development Package’s nine projects amounting to Rs7 billion in three cases, Tameer-e-Karachi Prgramme’s 17 mega development projects amounting to Rs13 billion in seven cases, Hyderabad Development Package’s seven projects amounting to Rs3.9 billion in seven cases, Khairpur Development Programme’s two projects amounting to Rs250  million in two cases, Greater Hyderabad Sewerage Project amounting to Rs500 million in one case, Sehwan Development Authority’s amounting to Rs3 billion in three cases, Malir Development Authority’s amounting to Rs15 billion in three cases, Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project’s amounting to Rs2 billion in one case and Hyderabad Development Authority’s amounting to Rs5 billion in two cases.

TMOs suspended

In a related development, the Sindh Local Government Department on Monday suspended around 40 tehsil municipal officers (TMOs) on charges of alleged embezzlement of billions of rupees.

Read: Curbing corruption: NAB to work on 16 cases referred by SECP

“Majority of these TMOs were appointed on political ground.  A few days ago notices were issued to them asking to explain the misappropriation of funds in their accounts, but they did not turn up,” sources said, adding that the department has asked anti-corruption cell to investigate the matter.

There were also reports that the cases against the TMOs will be referred to NAB, however, no official confirmed it.

With additional reporting by our correspondent in Karachi

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2015.