Sir Syed Memorial Society: Senate panel asks admin to provide audit details

Chief commissioner says CDA will have the society’s building vacated by June

ISLAMABAD:
With massive corruption reported in the Sir Syed Memorial Society, including the operation of a university on its premises, a Senate sub-panel has asked city administrators to provide details of the audit report.

The Senate Sub-committee on Cabinet Secretariat met at the Parliament House on Thursday with Senator Kulsoom Parveen in the chair.

They discussed the change in rules, regulations and laws relating to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA). Detailed discussion pertaining to the affairs of the Sir Syed Memorial Society was also held.

CDA seals Sir Syed Memorial Complex

Parveen asked ICT administration to present detailed audit reports of housing societies in the capital during 2017 along with details of the firms hired to conduct the audit.

“ICT administration should take care about providing compensation to people — whose plots were taken by the state in cash and in the form of alternate plots in a timely manner and to determine why that did not happen,” she said.

She also sought details of the cases against the corporates which had been referred to the National Accountability Body (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and their status.

Presenting details related to Sir Syed Memorial Society, its Director Nighat Mirza told the committee that a plot for the society had been allotted during former dictator General Ziaul Haq’s regime. Moreover, during the rule of former president General (retired) Prevez Musharraf, the society got Rs100 million for its development.

Nonconforming use: CDA likely to seal Sir Syed Memorial Complex


“Corruption amounting to Rs800 million have been detected in the society’s accounts,” Mirza said.

She added that when the discrepancies were reported, she was ‘punished’.

“When we reported the embezzlement, our salaries were stopped,” Mirza said, adding that the complaint did not dissuade senior officials from continuing with their corruption.

“The new administration joined hands with those indulging in corruption and rented out the society premises to a university”.

Mirza noted that even the Supreme Court has ordered the university to vacate the building.

The Islamabad chief commissioner told the committee that the rules of the society do not permit a university to operate on the land, which is why the Supreme Court had ordered the authorities to vacate it.

“CDA will get the society building vacated by June 2018,” he said, adding that the society was registered under the Act of 1861.

“The charter of the society only allows the formation of a memorial hall,” the commissioner said, adding that the audit report had revealed several incidents of fraud.

Senator Parveen told the ICTA that they will send a questionnaire to them and expect detailed answers to be filed by the next meeting of the sub-committee.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2018.
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