Four government officials, including one high-ranking officer, were found to be involved in the embezzlement. PHOTO: FILE
Huge corruption has been detected in the distribution of funds earmarked for flood relief efforts in Balochistan’s Kharan and Washuk districts, the provincial ombudsman revealed on Wednesday.
“We have completed our inquiry and found that as much as Rs50 million has been embezzled from the Rs120 million funds provided by the provincial government for flood relief efforts in Kharan and Washuk districts,” Balochistan Ombudsman Akber Baloch disclosed while addressing to the media.
According to Baloch, four government officials, including one high-ranking officer, were found to be involved in the embezzlement. He added that a report in this regard had been sent to the Balochistan High Court (BHC) with recommendations that strict action be taken against the accused officials. Huge corruption was also detected in relief efforts in Sibi district, the ombudsman maintained, adding that Rs32 million had been recovered following the inquiry and deposited with the Balochistan finance department.
Baloch said the inquiry had been ordered by BHC after victims of the 2007 and 2008 floods from Kharan and Washuk complained of misappropriation of funds earmarked for relief efforts.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2013.
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Hmmm...Is it Unusual!!!!!! , Its was pretty much expected, The question what will the Law do about it
not just recover the stolen...he / they should be punished also as deterrent for others....since, such recovery has been made in many cases in the past without punishment.....such corruption continues with impunity because it is not feared as they think " the least that can happen is " what " we will return the amount & say sorry "....such attitude has brought us to the level we are in today.....
We have laws to deal with thieves. Let the law be applied without fear or favor. The stolen money belongs to the taxpayers and then the ones it was meant for. It would be fair and just to provide the stolen money for the purpose originally intended and recover many times the amount stolen from the thieves.,