RDA removes two officers for graft

Both maintain innocence in cases pending against them


Saleh Mughal July 10, 2020

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Thursday removed two of its officers, deployed at its building control and planning department, over allegations of graft and abuse of power.

Land Use and Building Director Jamshed Aftab and Planning Assistant Director Samiullah Niazi have been directed to report to the Housing Urban Development (HUD) and Public Health Engineering (PED) departments in Lahore.

Both officers were facing inquiries by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) regarding irregularities in housing societies and misuse of power, sources told The Express Tribune.

Sources said that Aftab and Niazi have been sacked from their seats.

Sources disclosed that cases were pending against Niazi as well.

When contacted, Aftab told The Express Tribune that he was completely unaware of what inquiries ACE was conducting against him.

Niazi, however, maintained he can’t answer for irregularities in housing schemes which were built even before he had been born.

Further, he said that his position comes under the ‘non-transferable’ category. Further, he contended if he is to be investigated, it should be done in Rawalpindi rather than in Lahore.

However, ACE said that it had found many discrepancies in the conduct of these two officials. They subsequently informed the RDA Director General (DG) Ammara Khan about these officers occupying their seats whilst facing a probe against alleged corruption and irregularities.

At this, a notice was taken by senior officers who removed both officials from their respective posts on Thursday.

Further, in this regard, the Punjab ACE DG Gohar Nafees said that the unit will follow all legal formalities and collect evidence against the officials. However, he rejected ACE’s role in the removal and transfer of officials and termed it the discretion of the related institution.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2020.

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