Former MPA summoned by anti-corruption dept

Inquiry launched into allegations of misuse of authority, favousritism

JARANWALA:

The anti-corruption department has reportedly summoned former member of Punjab Assembly Bilal Asghar Waraich and four other persons, including his personal secretary, for an inquiry into allegations of misusing authority, awarding contracts to favourite people and using poor material in development work.

According to sources in the department, a deputy director of investigation issued a notice to Waraich in this regard.

The sources said Waraich, a former MPA from Gojra tehsil, was suspected of interfering in the local administration from 2018 to 2022.

His personal staff officer Mohammad Sarfraz is facing allegations of collecting monthly bribe from local officials and giving contracts of weekly bazaars in the tehsil in return for illegal gratification.

Aziz Gaggu Waraich, a close associate of Bilal Asghar, was given contracts, including those for parking at Saturday markets and slaughter house.

Then source said he was also facing allegations of receiving money from those operating stalls in streets in Gojra.

He had also remained a contractor of the local market committee.

They alleged hat Bilal’s cousin Asghar Nawaz Waraich had got road construction contracts and material of poor quality was used in the carpeting of a link road.

A three-member team of the anti-corruption department is investigating the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2023.