Officials of LG to be indicted in next hearing

Allegations include corruption, misuse of powers and causing a loss of Rs760 million to the national exchequer

KARACHI: An accountability court on Thursday, providing copies of the corruption references to the accused, former principal secretary of the local government, Ramzan Solangi and six others, said that they would be indicted in the next hearing on November 15. The suspects, including Solangi, former land records senior director Qamaruddin Sheikh, Syed Gulab, Iqbal Shah and Muhammad Javed Qamar were present at the hearing. According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the suspects were involved in corruption, misuse of powers and had caused a loss of Rs760 million to the national exchequer. Solangi was illegally promoted to grade 18 from grade 11 and was the front man as the former secretary of the local government.



Dr Asim case

After cross-examination of the NAB witness, the accountability court asked for more witnesses in the Rs462 billion corruption reference against Dr Asim Hussain and others by November 15. The primary suspect of the case, Dr Asim, and others were present at the hearing. The court recorded the statement of NAB witness Dar Baksh after which cross-examination was conducted by the defence counsels. The court, directing authorities to produce more witnesses, adjourned the hearing.



Fishermen Cooperative Society

An accountability court adjourned the hearing of the case regarding corruption in Fishermen Cooperative Society till November 23 as the judge of the court was on leave. Sultan Qamar Siddiqui, Nisar Morai and other suspects as well as the NAB witness was present during the hearing. According to NAB, the suspects were involved in embezzlement of Rs340.3m and over 400 illegal appointments in the Fishermen Cooperative Society. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2018.