Under investigation: 22 officers, contractors arrested over corruption charges

Federal Investigation Agency found misappropriation of over Rs60 million.

SUKKUR: As an offensive against corrupt officers and contractors, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) conducted raids and arrested 22 officers and contractors on the charges of corruption in development works.

The FIA team, led by deputy-director Abdul Hameed Bhutto, raided the offices of various government departments on Tuesday and arrested 22 officers and contractors on the alleged charges of misappropriating development funds.

Bhutto, while talking to The Express Tribune, confirmed the raids and arrests and said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ordered the FIA to investigate into the matter following a complaint that it had received. "We raided different offices of the Pakistan Public Works Department, Provincial Buildings Department and Education Works Department and confiscated various record files, including tenders and measurement books regarding different works between 2010 and 2013," said Bhutto.

According to him, various development works were not found up to the mark according to the tenders and measurement book. While going through the records, he said that the FIA detected misappropriation of over Rs60 million and resultantly arrested 22 people. An FIR has been lodged against them and further investigations are under way, he added. "Some other development works pertaining to overhead bridges and roads are also under investigation and the crackdown will continue against other corrupt officials once we determine the loss caused to the national exchequer," he added.

However, according to sources, the arrested are backed by certain politicians who are trying to influence the FIA into dropping the investigation or go easy on them.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2014.