NAB gets tough with PPP Sindh leaders

ISLAMABAD: In the past six months, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has tightened the noose around the Members of Parliament from Sindh as in almost every Executive Board meeting, the Bureau has authorised inquiries against the sitting ministers from the province being ruled by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Documents available with The News revealed that NAB has gone tough on Sindh ministers for their alleged corruption. On Tuesday too, NAB authorised an inquiry against Sindh Minister Muhammad Ali Malkani, who has been alleged of corruption and land grabbing. Dr Asim Hussain of the PPP is already in NAB’s custody facing corruption charges.

Member of National Assembly Peer Muhammad Shah Jeelani of the PPP is also facing a probe in NAB for misuse of power. NAB documents say, “Peer Noor Muhammad Shah Jeelani (MNA) is misusing his powers on the XEN roads, XEN Provincial Highways and XEN buildings for making black money. Hashim Channa having the dual charges of XEN Highways and XEN buildings is the right hand of Peer Noor Muhammad. Zulfiqar Arain, Sub Engineer, Buildings Department, is also working for the above said MNA in promoting his corruption.

He has got released funds of Rs40 million from chief minister in the year 2013-14 for Building Department out of which he kept Rs20 million for schools buildings, etc, while kept Rs20 million for repairing and maintenance of only two basic health units through Zulfiqar Arain. He has also purchased two V-8 Land cruisers worth Rs25 million, a cruising vehicle worth about Rs8 million and a Vego jeep worth about Rs5 million while he had only one Prado jeep of 1997 model prior to contesting the elections. Two luxury bungalows are under construction, one at Chachro and the other at Nangarparkar worth more than Rs40 million.”

Similarly, Sharjeel Inam Memon, senior leader of the PPP, is also facing a probe by NAB where in he is accused of alleged corruption worth Rs5.875 billion. NAB documents reveal that one of the co-accused with Sharjeel Memon has opted for a voluntary return, thus stamping the authenticity of the charges.

The documents mention that during the inquiry of embezzlement in advertisement budget, Sharjeel Inam Memon, ex-minister for information, Sindh, surfaced as one of the accused. Another MPA of the PPP, Haji Abdul Rauf Kashmore, is facing a probe in NAB Karachi: the details of the complaint as mentioned in NAB’s documents are as follows:

“Land measuring 15-14 acres was allotted vide Deputy Commissioner Order dated 23-6-1981 to District Sports Committee Jacobabad for public use. Haji Abdul Rauf and Shah Ghulam Jaro Khan, with mala-fide intention, have changed the revenue record by showing it on lease of 99 years for the residential purposes through a wrong order dated 17-03-1992 of deputy commissioner Jacobabad, in the names of (i) Abdul Wahi (ii) Abdul Hayee (iii) Shah Ghulam Jaro and have constructed shops on it.

“It is further alleged that Haji Abdul Rauf and Shah Ghulam Jaro with mala-fide

permanent grants and obtained the illegal TO Forms, by converting it into new B.Nos 871(5-10), 872(1-5), 874(2-13). Total area 13-23 acres of Deh Pako Kashmore in the names of Ranjho S/o Hote Mazari (ii) Khaliqadad S/o Pandhi Mazari. They are benami grantees and land is actually in the possession of Haji Abdul Rauf who has constructed a city park and in papers has obtained Rs90 million. He destroyed record by setting fire and then an FIR in this regard was lodged. In Deh Domewali, the alleged installed a CNG pump on the property of the federal government (upon railway line). Fraudulently, the alleged have managed the Khata of said plot in their names in revenue record. The alleged illegally got forest land measuring 516-31 acres of Deh Gehalpur in the names of their benamis. They got mutated said land in the names of their nephews namely (i) Abdul Salam (ii) Muzafer Ali and others. An area of 404-10 acres of Deh Domewali was granted by land commission in the names of different persons, yet Haji Abdul Rauf, with mala-fide intention in collusion with the staff of Revenue Department, got mutated the said land in the names of Dhani Bux Khoso, Sherdil Khoso and Balach Khoso vide entry No.215 dated 28-8-1996. Haji Abdul Rauf is the owner of more than 30 petrol pumps/CNG stations and factories in various cities of Pakistan but the ownership of the properties is in the names of his brothers and nephews. One of them is Abdul Wahid Khoso, who was employed at Wapda in 1992-1993 in Grade-14. The alleged are involved in illegal tendering of contracts, illegal demolition of meat market near PS Kashmore and constructed a new market in the name of non-existent fake owners.”

Similarly, the PPP Minister in Sindh, Gian Chan Essarani, is facing two cases in NAB. The Bureau’s initial probe says “Mr. Giyan Chand Essarani, requested for additional budget of Rs300 million under the head of conservancy and works of Sindh Forest Department to maintain the pace of development, particularly maintenance of the forestry resources. Secretary finance intimated through summary for chief minister that the government of Sindh already provides a huge annual budget for the works mentioned in the minister’s request. Further, the demand of Forest Department is very high and unjustified without any specific expenditure/ details. However, summary was moved for release of Rs100 million as additional budget. The Finance Department released an amount of Rs150 million on account of additional allocation. The amount was distributed amongst 37 different offices of various districts. The secretary finance, provided following data as far as the working of Forest Department is concerned:-

“The letter of chief conservator forest to secretary forest dated 10-06-2014 shows that the entire amount of Rs150 million was utilised during the month of May 2014, which creates suspicion that how a huge amount has been spent on conservancy and works in just one month.

Scrutiny of information/record reveals the following facts:

(1) Direction Division, Hyderabad, utilised the entire amount of Rs10 million on construction of rest house of chief conservator. There are also discrepancies in the record.

(2) Afforestation Division Hyderabad utilised Rs8 million on maintenance of existing jeepable and compartment road, which needs physical verification.

(3) Social Forestry Division Hyderabad utilised Rs1million on construction of boundary wall on Latifabad Nursery, purchase of plants and on arranging a seminar.

(4) Coastal Forest Division Karachi utilised Rs7.5 million on afforestation in blank mudflats, raising of mangrove container plants in Keti Bundar and construction of boundary wall and one room at Korangi fish harbour, Karachi. There is contradiction in the monthly returns submitted to the department by DFO and record provided to NAB.

“One of the DFOs of Hyderabad Division himself informed that massive corruption/corrupt practices prevail in the department and admitted that false/fake record regarding utilisation of subject grant has been provided to the NAB. The second inquiry pertains to assets beyond means.”

Another MP from Sindh, Ali Nawaz Shah, is alleged of owning Al-Rehmat Brothers Pre-Cast Parabolic (PCPL) factory though it is in the name of his frontman Ch Ashraf. The alleged, being minister of agriculture, misused his power and ordered the officials of Sindh On-farm Water Management (SOFWM) to give maximum orders to Al-Rehmat Brothers. Due to the influence of the minister, Al-Rehmat brothers received almost 70 to 80 percent of the PCPL order in districts Mirpurkhas and Umerkot. The alleged misused his authority in sanctioning of new water course IR Jamrao Canal. He also misused his authority in sanctioning of the lining of the said water course. Under the rules, 30 percent length of water course is lined but in this case 100 percent lining is sanctioned.

“The alleged also misused his authority in the distribution of funds for the construction of 300 water storage tanks (WST). 70 WST were awarded in the constituency of the minister and other favourites. 25% commission of the cost of WST from farmers was taken and when the matter was complained to World Bank, a director, DD and AD were suspended for a few days but were reinstated due to the involvement of Ch Ashraf, frontman of the alleged. The alleged committed corruption in Benazir Bhutto Tractor Scheme. The tractors were booked in fake names and the same were sold in the market. The subsidy amount of Rs2 to 3 lac per tractor was pocketed by the alleged minister.

“DG (AE&WM) also facilitated the ex-minister in the embezzlement of millions of rupees of funds in laser level and tubewell schemes. The alleged also illegally made appointments in grade 16 to 18 in National Programme for Improvement of Watercourses (NPIW) and SOFWM without any advertisement and exams.”

Dost Muhammad Rahimoon, MPA, Minister for Usher & Zakat, Sindh PPP, is another MP from Sindh who is facing a probe in the NAB. It has been alleged that “Dost Muhammad Rahimoon had an old smuggled model 1997 Prado jeep in his use, a nominal residential house and no business except two buses running on rental basis. However, after being elected as an MPA and becoming the minister, he made a lot of properties, set up various businesses by misusing his authority. He has accumulated following assets: Established a petrol pump at Chachro and another at Umerkot worth about Rs10 million, purchased a luxury bungalow of about Rs25 million at Qasimabad, Hyderabad, and also constructed a luxury bungalow of about Rs30 million at Chachro. He purchased Hino buses worth about 15 million and a new V-8 Land Cruiser jeep worth about 15 million. He is using his powers upon XEN Highways, XEN roads and other government machinery of district Tharparkar for collection of bribe, etc. He is also collecting commission form the taluka municipal administration. He is also involved in wrong and unfair distribution of wheat in Taluka Chachro and Taluka Dhali due to which the residents of Thar are affected badly.”