Officer back at job after complaint withdrawn

Pannu Aqil’s taluka municipal officer, who was reportedly on the run since accused of embezzlement, resumes duties.

SUKKUR:

Pannu Aqil’s taluka municipal officer (TMO), Liaquat Kalhoro, who was reportedly on the run since he was accused of embezzlement last December, has now apparently resumed his duties.

The Anti-Corruption Police had registered a case against Kalhoro on December 12, 2012, after he was accused by Abdul Rasheed Rind of mismanaging funds during his tenure as Ubauro’s TMO. Rind had filed an application in Sukkur’s anti-corruption court. In addition to accusing him of embezzling funds worth millions of rupees, Rind had also claimed that the TMO had gotten his first government job in 1993 on the basis of “fake” documents.

Kalhoro was reportedly appointed as a junior clerk on the municipal committee in Mirpur Mathelo in 1993. Rind alleged that Kalhoro did not meet the age requirement of the job at the time, and that he had used “fake” documents that certified otherwise.

However, it emerged that Rind had recently withdrawn his complaint against the official. Ghotki Anti-Corruption Police assistant director Saifullah Phulpoto confirmed that Rind had taken the step.

“However, our inquiry against Kalhoro is still under way, and legal action will be taken against him if corruption charges are proved.” He added that the TMO had also managed to secure bail before arrest. There were reports that Kalhoro enjoyed the support of various influential officials in Sukkur, who had allegedly threatened Rind to withdraw his complaint. Rind was unavailable for comments, despite repeated attempts to contact him.  

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2013.