PPP MNA lands in hot water as NAB initiates inquiry against him

Bureau officials visit Shahdadkot to verify complaint and collect evidence

SUKKUR: Shahdadkot-based Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Ramesh Lal has landed in trouble.

Hindu Panchayat Larkana and Shahdadkot Vice-President Maharaj Ramesh Kumar filed a complaint against Lal with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sukkur over massive corruption in development funds.

Following the complaint, NAB Sukkur has started an inquiry against the PPP MNA. NAB officials have visited Shahdadkot to verify the complaint and collect evidence.



According to the complainant, an amount of Rs2,760,000 was approved for a piece of metalled road near the house of MNA Ramesh Lal in the year 2007-2008. However, instead of spending those funds on the construction of road, he spent the amount for constructing the road of his rice mill, which is situated four kilometres away from Shahdadkot, claimed the complainant. Once again, funds worth Rs5 million were spent on the same road last year, claimed Kumar.

Kumar filed a written complaint to NAB Sukkur in 2016, giving details of all the wrongdoings committed by Lal. According to him, funds of Rs10 million were allocated for the construction of Saint Fakir Mohan Das Public Library in Shahdadkot. Instead of constructing the library in the city, a building was constructed inside the premises of Ramesh Lal's rice mill, which still lies incomplete and without a single book.

Apart from this, the MNA spent an amount of Rs10 million on the distribution of hand pumps and sewing machines in Qubo Saeed Khan. According to Kumar, no hand pump or sewing machine was given to the people. He further said the MNA spent a huge amount of funds on the construction of the boundary wall around the graveyard in Qubo Saeed Khan in the name of minority graveyard. As a matter of fact, stated Kumar, no Hindus reside in Qubo Saeed Khan and the boundary wall was erected around the Muslim graveyard.



Another Rs9 million were spent on providing cover to Shahi Bazaar, Shahdadkot, said Kumar. He added that a fibre glass cover already existed on the Shahi Bazaar, which was given a colour coat and the funds were pocketed.

Kumar further said that a community hall was constructed at the temple of Saint Fakir Mohan Das by the Hindu community but the MNA claimed it was constructed through his funds and thus pocketed all the funds. Similarly, he also pocketed funds worth Rs1 million meant for the construction of Panchayat Hall in Naseerabad Town, said Kumar.

Kumar said the MNA is habitual of usurping funds of Baitul Mal and has so far spent an amount of Rs500 million in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in the name of minorities. Everybody knows that there are no minorities living in Fata, he claimed.



Acting upon his complaint, NAB has started collecting the record of development works from the officials of the Pakistan Public Works Department while NAB Sukkur Director-General Altaf Bawani often refers to complaints against elected representatives of Sukkur and Larkana during media talks.

MNA Lal brushed aside the allegations of corruption against him and said that all the allegations are baseless. "On the contrary, I have served the public, which is why my opponents have turned against me," he said. "Let NAB conduct its inquiry, then everything will come to the light."