KARACHI: The Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) has initiated a probe against five officials of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and 17 officials of Karachi Development Authority (KDA) found involved in financial corruption and wrong-doings in officials matters.
Usman Junejo, ACE section officer, issued orders for the inquiry against KWSB officials on January 29, and Faisal Bashir Memon, ACE Director Inquiry-I, ordered a probe against KDA officials on January 11.
The inquiry against KDA officials has been initiated on public and departmental complaints regarding violation of Supreme Court orders for posting officials outside cadres. These postings and promotions were made in violation of KDA service rules. The inquiry is being conducted by ACE as per rule 9 of Sindh Enquiries and Anti-Corruption Rule of 1993.
The KWSB officials reportedly inflicted huge financial loss to entity for not installing water meters at sites of bulk water consumers including builders and giving illegal discounts on water bills to housing societies in return for bribes.
Imported water meters worth millions of rupees were not installed and in addition despite complaints against KWSB officials inflicting heavy financial losses, no action was taken against the officials involved in the matter.
The ACE, after recording statements and collection of service records, personal files, current posting orders and declaration as per schedule of 20 officials of civic entities found irregularities in papers and undue service benefits to these officials.
Misbahuddin Fareed, the former managing director of KWSB, is currently out of the country and Kamran Khan, former in-charge of the record section of KDA, is behind the bars facing National Accountability Bureau charges. Most of these 22 officials are also facing NAB investigations.
KWSB officials facing inquiry include Shakeel Qureshi, superintendent engineer of Meter Division; Shezan Ahmed, deputy director of private societies; Azam Khan, deputy director of tax east; Nisar Magsi, deputy director A&E, and in-charge hydrants.
KDA officials involved in malpractices are Shamsheer Khan, director of finance, Arshad Abbad, director of land, Khurram Arif, director of sports, Shams Siddiqui, additional director of commercial, Khalid Hashmi, additional director North Nazimabad, Saleem Zahid, additional director, Gulshan/Clifton, Waseem Raza, additional director Company Cell, Jawed Alam, assistant director employees quota, M Mairaj, assistant director Clifton, Mohsin Raza, assistant director Gulistan-e-Jauhar, M Atif, assistant director Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Shams-ul-Haq, assistant director Industries, M Shabbir, assistant director Landhi, Abid Zaidi, assistant director Metroville, M Bashir, assistant director Korangi Township and Hassam-ul-Kabir, assistant director land Surjani Town.
Published in Daily Times, February 5th 2018.