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Sindh’s NAB-zaday ministers

Published

3 years ago

July 30, 2022

KARACHI: As the menace of corruption and financial embezzlement is Sindh is not a new at all, however a number of leaders, who are under investigations and are on bail, are yet enjoying the lucrative positions without any fear.

Pakistan especially Sindh has been blessed with everything whether it be natural resources, ports, ocean, natural beauty etc, however unluckily the ill-fated province has become victim of mismanagement, corruption, corrupt practices, mafias.

Pakistan has been going through worst-ever financial crisis. There may be other several reason s behind weakening of country’s economy however the major reason must be the financial corruption which go unchecked.

In Sindh, the politicians, who are probe by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), are given very important positions in the Sindh cabinet.

Aga Siraj Durrani – Speaker Sindh Assembly. Acting Governor Sindh: He is currently under probe and is on bail in a case pertaining to owning assets beyond known sources of income and alleged corruption.

The NAB arrested Mr Durrani and others in a reference of Rs 1.61 billion assets, making 352 illegal appointments, embezzlement of public funds in the construction of the MPAs’ Hostel and the new Sindh Assembly building, as well as the appointment of project directors for these schemes.

Syed Murad Ali Shah – Chief Minsiter Sindh: The NAB has filed a corruption reference against him over alleged misuse of power in disbursement of funds or province’s energy-related projects including Roshan Sindh Programme.

He is also facing another corruption reference in Islamabad’s accountability court in fake bank accounts case. Murad Ali Shah and Abdul Ghani Majeed are among 17 persons nominated in the corruption reference by the anti-graft watchdog.

Jam Khan Shoro – Sindh Minister for Irrigation: He along with his two brothers and 15 others are charged with billions of rupees corruption. The NAB charged Jam Khan Shoro (former local government, livestock and fisheries minister), his brother Kashif Shoro, former chairperson of Qasimabad municipal committee in a land scan of over Rs 5 billion.

According to the reference, the two brothers with help of 15 other government officers forged the land record and usurped 20.13 acres of land in Deh Jamshoro which belonged to the irrigation department. He usurped 4.3 acres of the state land worth around Rs2.76 billion by forging the land revenue record in which he got changed the location of the survey numbers two, three and four. The land, which belonged to the irrigation department, was located between the new and old Phuleli canals but the forged record showed it at the main Jamshoro Road.

His relative, Karan Khan Shoro also allegedly usurped another two pieces of land measuring 15.23 acres causing loss of Rs2.26 billion to the exchequer. The land consisting the survey number 511 and New Jamshoro village, measuring 11.10 acres and 4.13 acres, respectively, also belonged to the irrigation department.

Taimoor Talpur – Sindh Minister for Forest: He and his father MNA Nawab Yousuf Talpur are under investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for Rs 100 to Rs 130 million corruption.

The FIA alleges that MNA Nawab Yousuf Talpur and his son former member provincial assembly Taimoor Talpur are involved in embezzling of funds of Rs100 to 130 million. In 2011, Prime Minister had granted them funds for construction of roads, public health and other development schemes in Sindh. The funds were allegedly embezzled as neither roads were constructed no other developments schemes were completed in the area and funds were withdrawn, embezzled through fake bills in connivance of SDO Masood Bajwa & Taimur Talpur.

Syed Sardar Shah – Sindh Minister for Education: He remained talk of the town and reportedly inquiries were also initiated against him in procurement of schools’ furniture. He denied the charges however national media aired series of corruption news against him.

Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani – Advisor to CM for Prisons: He is indicted in a corruption case worth Rs 780 million.

Chief Minister’s Adviser on Prisons, Aijaz Jakhrani, and Municipal Committee Chairman Jacobabad Abbas Jakhrani, contractor Abdul Razzak Behrani, Zaheer Masih (the ex-MNA’s driver) and Ms Lubna are co-accused in NAB’s Rs780 million corruption reference.

Fayaz Ali Butt – Advisor to CM for Zakat, Ushr and Religious Affairs: He is also facing alleged corruption charges worth millions of rupees in solar lights project when he was Sindh Minister for Public Health Engineering. After corruption charges, Mr Butt was removed from the ministry and now he has been once again inducted in the provincial cabinet.

Manzoor Wassan – Advisor to CM for Agriculture: He is also under NAB investigation and he is currently on bail from the Sindh High Court. The NAB has accused Manzoor Wassan of making assets beyond his known source of income and also owning benami properties worth billions of rupees.

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SBCA working without Director Administration & Director Finance

Published

8 months ago

September 3, 2024

Aftab Channa

KARACHI: The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), the only authority to keep vigil on the illegal construction and builder mafia, the authority has been working without full-fledged director administration and director finance for the past couple of weeks, it is learnt.

According to sources, the most competent and honest officer of the authority namely M Mushtaq Ibrahim Soomro was performing as Director Administration and Director Finance with utmost honesty however the powerful mafia within the authority used their influence and got him transferred from the authority’s headquarters.

SBCA Director General/Chief Executive Abdul Rasheed Solangi issued an order on August 7, 2024 transferring the most competent officer from the post.

“Mushtaq Ibrahim Soomro, Director (BS-19) Administration and Finance (SBCA) Headquarter is hereby transferred and posted as Regional Director (BS-19) Hyderabad Region (SBCA) vice Engr Syed Ali Mehdi Kazmi, Regional Director (BS-19) Hyderabad Region (SBCA), who has already been allowed to work as Additional Director General-BS-20 (SBCA) on his own pay & scale”, according to notification.

“M Mushtaq Ibrahim Soomro, Regional Director (BS-19) Hyderabad Region (SBCA) is also allowed to look after the charge of Regional Director (BS-19) Mirpurkhas Region (SBCA) in addition to his own duties, until further orders”, the notification adds.

Soon after the transfer of Mr Soomro, the posts of Director Administration and Director Finance remained vacant as no officers were posted on the vacant posts since August 7, 2024. “Now the deputy director is forwarding most important files directly to the Director General, sources disclosed.

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Bajari Mafia – Karachi’s Safoora Town under clutches of Mallah brothers

Published

9 months ago

August 18, 2024

Aftab Channa

KARACHI: It seems that every person in the Sindh’s Local Government Department has become powerful mafia as there is no proper check and balance on appointment, transfer and posting of employees in the most important department and the “Might is Right’ rule prevails there.

The same is the case with Town Municipal Corporation, Safoora, District East, where Mallah brothers have become mafia with the alleged political backing from the Chief Minister’s House.

According to insiders, Munawar Hussain Mallah, Town Municipal Commissioner, TMC Safoora, District East has badly hit the performance of the town administration led by the elected town chairman adding miseries to the lives of citizens.

Interestingly, Munawar Hussain Mallah, an officer of BPS-17/SCUG Service (Admin Branch), carries two fake service profiles that included his appointment on December 22, 1995. Later, he was promoted to BS-16 on October 27, 2011. He got another promotion to BS-17 in 2019.

Insiders disclosed that Munawar Mallah was initially appointed as UC Secretary in Karachi’s Quaidabad area and drew salaries as secretary union council for couple of years.

The seniority list, issued by the Local Government Department, Government of Sindh, in year 2010 did not include his name anywhere in the list. How come is it possible that Mr Mallah got promotion from BS-16 to BS-17 in 2016?

It is mentioned here that Munawar Mallah is brother of most corrupt official namely Maqsood Mallah who recently blackmailed his bosses as he was under severe disciplinary action for his massive financial corruption. He also put a major dent on the performance of most competent and honest Secretary Sindh Local Government Board Piyaar Ali Lakho. Presently, Maqsood Mallah is on stay from the Sindh High Court just to avoid any legal and departmental action from the department.

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System Works – Najmi Alam’s front-man becomes powerful mafia of Sindh’s livestock, fisheries

Published

1 year ago

May 5, 2024

Aftab Channa

KARACHI: In blatant violation, Advisor to Chief Minister on Livestock and Fisheries Department Najmi Alam has appointed his front-man Agha Saeed as focal person of the Livestock and Fisheries Department of the Sindh Government, it is reliably learnt.

The Sindh’s livestock and fisheries department has always been a hot-cake where financial corruption of billions of rupees were corrupted and many investigations underway by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The world famous corruption made by Nisar Morai is still in the minds of the people and yet again the prominent ‘SYSTEM’ finally entered into the department in shape of installation of Najmi Alam as advisor. Under the rules, no outsider or private person can be installed as focal person, sources say.

Now, the project directors of foreign-funded multi-million projects engineers, development experts and all other official dealing with development schemes and budgets would directly report to Agha Saeed, the front-man of Najmi Alam.

Agha Saeed is a low-grade employee of the Sindh Local Government Department, who has brought into the Livestock and Fisheries Department by Najmi Alam. His appointment has shocked almost every officer of the department and a wave of unrest prevail among their ranks, sources added.