Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The officials of the Punjab and Sindh Workers Welfare Boards have allegedly committed corruption of billions of rupees in labour colonies, construction of residential flats and their distribution.

According to the record submitted to a parliamentary committee, the officials of the Punjab Workers Welfare Board (PWWB) purchased land for the construction of labour colonies in the province and committed corruption of Rs 2,112.9 million. The officials made payments worth billions of rupees without measuring the land.

According to the record, the Sindh Workers Welfare Board (SWWB) constructed about 320 residential flats in Sukkur to provide shelter to the deserving workers. Financial corruption of Rs 550 million in the construction of these flats has now come to the surface. Evidence of waste of national money has also been found and now SWWB authorities have awarded contract to another construction company instead of the company, which offered the lowest bid for the project.

“Irregularities have been found in the allotment of 320 residential flats in Sukkur that were construction under the supervision of Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, the then federal minister for labour and man power,” according to the record. It shows that officials of the SWWB allotted these flats to bankers and the real estate mafia instead of deserving people. Now the parliamentary committee would review the matter.

As per record, corruption of Rs 56 million has been found in award of a contract for construction of Surgical Hospital in Sukkur. The contract was awarded to a blue-eyed construction company named Wilson.

The record shows that Pak Navy Housing Scheme illegally occupied 243 kanals of land owned by the SWWB and constructed residential units on the disputed land. The SWWB is facing huge financial losses due to this illegal occupation.

During Shah’s tenure as the federal minister for labour, sewing machines were purchased for poor women. The officials committed financial corruption of Rs 15 million in the purchase of these machines. As a result, poor women were deprived of sewing machines.

The record shows that massive corruption was committed in construction of residential flats on the premises of a labour colony in Larkana.

The officials of the Workers Welfare Board Peshawar have purchased luxury vehicles using the funds allocated for the poor and needy people. At least Rs 3 million rupees were allegedly embezzled from this project.

Officials are using the funds allocated for the Workers Education Centres for personal benefits. At least Rs 56 million corruption has been found in this project.

SWWB officials awarded educational scholarships to the children of top officials instead of workers’ children. The Peshawar Workers Welfare Board (PWWB) granted Rs 29 million to the Iqra University instead of awarding scholarship to workers’ children.

The record shows that some influential people illegally occupied the residential flats owned by the Workers Welfare Fund in Lahore and Rs 30 million have yet to be recovered from them.

The record shows that Rs 50 million corruption was committed in the construction of projects under the Workers Welfare Funds in Peshawar and Takht Bahi areas. Corruption of Rs 353 million was committed in the construction of Workers Welfare Fund offices in Hayatabad and this project was also launched during the tenure of the Pakistan People’s Party.

The contract of a Rs 2,460 million project for the construction of 1,200 family flats in Peshawar was awarded to a blue-eyed company. Evidence shows corruption of more than Rs 25 million was committed in this project, says the record.