SUKKUR: The Khairpur Special Economic Zone (KSEZ), which was thought to be one of the very few good projects undertaken by Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, has become a source of embezzlement of millions of rupees for corrupt officials.
According to sources, the corruption in the project has raised the question about sustainability of the project.
Qaim Ali Shah had allocated Rs1,487.959 million for the KSEZ and for the execution of the project. The News has learnt 136 acres of land were required for the project and the land was acquired near the National Highway at Tando Masti.
The sources alleged that while awarding compensation to owners of the acquired land, millions of rupees were embezzled. They said a huge amount was paid to favourite landowners by showing their barren land as either commercial or date-growing areas in papers and millions were pocketed by corrupt officials in this way. When the KSEZ project director desired to visit the acquired lands, he was advised not to do so for security reasons by the same mafia.
However, retired assistant commissioner Ghul Sher Solangi, who has been assigned the job of Land and Community Affairs Officer, talking to The News, said there had been no any irregularity in the awarding of compensation to landowners.
He said the exercise of acquiring the land was carried out without favouritism and nepotism.
Sources said the project is in the best interests of the people of Sindh but demanded strict check on the project.