KARACHI: The Sindh government’s inquiry report has unearthed fraudulent and bogus payment of millions of rupees by the executive engineer and assistant executive engineer of the works and services department’s buildings division to the vendors, Sindhnews has learnt.
According to sources, the chief minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, received multiple complaints against Executive Engineer (XEN), Building Division, Ghulam Muhammad Qureshi and Assistant Executive Engineer (AEN) Building Division Ishrat Chandion for their direct involvement in corrupt practices and bogus payments worth millions of rupees to the vendors for supply of items which are not available anywhere.
With these complaints, the chief minister had ordered multiple inquiries against both these corrupt officers so that disciplinary action could be initiated against both these officers and process be launched to recover government funds worth millions of rupees.
The works and services department has also served a show-cause notice to XEN Ghulam Muhamamd Qureshi and AEN Ishrat Chandio however they could not prove their innocence, hence found guilty of bogus payment.
According to an inquiry report which is available with Sindhnews, it is proved that Ghulam Muhammad Qureshi, the then Executive Engineer of the Provincial Building Division Hyderabad has misused his powers and also misappropriated the government funds of ADP schemes.
The XEN has charged the maintenance and repair (M&R) work supply orders on the schemes against the un-approved provisions, which means he mis-appropriated government funds and badly affected the development scheme, according to a report.
He has given approval of supply orders which exceeds more than Rs 100,000 up to Rs 300,000 which is major irregularity because it was his prime responsibility to get such approval from his controlling officer i.e. Superintendent Engineer.
According to another inquiry report, XEN Ghulam Muhammad Qureshi paid many supply orders on various schemes and made bills on such work orders but couldn’t give any proof or evidence for the items he paid that clearly shows his fraudulent or bogus payments for supply orders.
Secondly, XEN Ghulam Muhammad Qureshi charged the M&R work supply order on the schemes against the un-approved provisions, it means he mis-appropriated government funds. He has also given approval of supply order on the schemes against the unapproved provisions, which results to misappropriation of funds worth millions of rupees.
Lastly, the inquiry report found Ghulam Muhammad Qureshi the then Executive Engineer of Provincial Building Hyderabad to be guilty for the charges as he misappropriated government funds by making fraudulent or bogus supply orders which causes great loss to the government schemes so that the necessary recovery of such funds as mentioned in the detailed report may be recovered from him and disciplinary action may also be taken against him as per E&D Rules.
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.
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.
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.