Corruption Charges: Environment Protection Agency chief suspended

LAHORE:

The Environment Protection Agency director general, Shagufta Shahjehan, has been suspended from her position on charges of involvement in embezzlement of Rs3.6 million, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Shahjehan however expressed ignorance of the matter and said she had not received a notification.

An EPD official speaking on condition of anonymity said Shahjehan was suspected of collusion with other EPD officials in misappropriating funds set aside for paying rents of buildings acquired to set up laboratories in six districts. The buildings were found to have been rented on paper only as the rents were allegedly misappropriated by the officials, he said.He said Shahjehan and four other officers had last week returned part of the embezzled funds, Rs1.2 million, to the public exchequer. The official said the final report of the inquiry was expected in a weak.

He said Shahjehan had been directed to report to the EPD secretary until the inquiry was complete.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2011.