Action will be taken against corrupt officials: Nasir Shah

Minister says officials involved in corruption in tractor subsidy scheme will be dealt with strictly

KARACHI: Sindh government ministers admitted on Monday that there has been massive bungling in a tractor subsidy scheme and announced that action will be taken against the officials involved.



Addressing a press conference outside the Sindh Assembly, Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said 5,780 tractors were supposed to be provided to farmers from 2009 to 2012. According to him, the government had given a Rs0.3 million subsidy per tractor but this was not implemented, while Rs1.45 billion has been misappropriated. "This is one of the [biggest] scams and we have written to the anti-corruption department so that they can start an inquiry into it," he said.

The information minister, who was flanked by Home and Agriculture Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal, said that the case was initially taken up by the National Accountability Bureau but the accountability watchdog gave a clean chit to the people involved. "Many famous and important people are involved in this scam and their identities will be revealed during the investigation," the information minister added. Shah said they have committed the fraud in an organised way.

"No one is above the law and we will take action against them," he said, adding that if the prime minister's name can be included in an investigation into offshore properties by the joint investigation team, then why can action not be taken against bureaucrats and others involved in the scam. "After the inquiry, an FIR will be registered and disciplinary action taken against these officials," he vowed.



Speaking about the law and order situation in the city, Siyal said the police and Rangers have managed to control the menace and street crime has also decreased. "For the first time in our [government's tenure], there is not a single kidnapping for ransom case and people frequently travel without any fear," he claimed.