The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly expressed its concern over the alleged embezzlement of Rs88 million by the director general of the sports and youth affairs department. It asked the sports minister to deal with the case.
The meeting, chaired by Jam Tamachi Unar, was informed that the director involved in the misappropriation of funds of 30 National Games and the Sindh Games in 2008 had retired.
PAC members, including Mujahid Isran, suggested that the money could be recovered from the retired officer’s pension. The chairman directed PAC officials to write a letter to the chief minister, chief secretary and the accountant general, informing them of the rampant corruption.
“We asked the sports department to probe the case two years ago, but it seems the department is reluctant to take up the case seriously,” he said.
The sports secretary informed the committee that a case was lodged against the director general sports by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and therefore it was subjudice. Assembly Secretary Hadi Bux Buriro said that only an FIR was lodged against the sports official. He has not been presented in court yet, therefore his case could be debated in the meeting.”I cannot understand why the ACE has not presented him before the court for remand,” he said.
Anti-Corruption Director Ghanwar Leghari assured the committee that the challan of the case will be produced very soon.
Leghari said that the case had been lodged against the director general sports on the directives of the Chief Minister Inspection Team (CMIT). “The case was referred to anti-corruption for further investigation,” he said. “The ACE has decided to prosecute the former director in court and in this respect we have directed our officials to produce the challan of the case in the Anti-Corruption Court.”
Unar said that the violation of rules in every department could only be curbed if strict punishment was given to officials involved in corruption.
During the meeting, the sports secretary said that he could not resolve the issue of amenity plots being converted into dumping grounds and also prevent people from encroaching on them. He said that it was the responsibility of the district government to resolve the matter.
Responding to these issues, Jam Tamachi said that bureaucrats of all departments had held the devolution plan responsible for these evils. “Therefore I suggest the chief minister resolve the issue of local government without any delay.”
He stated that most of the grounds in various cities and towns of Sindh have been converted into plazas but the police and other concerned officials are reluctant to take action.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2011.
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