Sindh education official rejects corruption charges

KARACHI: Facing inquiry of corruption of millions of rupees, an officer of Sindh Education Department has been posted as Sindh Textbook Board chairman.  

The officer, however, rejected all charges of corruption as a plot against him.

Sindh Education Department Additional Secretary Syed Zakir Shah, who remained on the same post from Oct 2013 to December 2014 and then from July 7, 2015 till date, has been handed over additional charge of Sindh Textbook Board chairman.

According to documentary evidence, a team of Sindh Anti-corruption Department on September 4 last year in the supervision of Civil Judge Jamshoro raided at the office and go-down of Sindh Textbook Board, seized record and recommended to place the matter before Anti-Corruption Court One (ACC 1) headed by Chief Secretary Sindh for open
inquiry.

According to the Sindh government rules, an officer facing corruption charges could not hold executive post and could not use financial powers.

On January 20, Shah was removed from the position of chairmanship of Board and additional charge was handed over to Qadir Bux Rind, Director Private Schools Hyderabad, but on very next day Rind was removed and charge was again assigned to Shah.

Sindh Anti-corruption Director Nazar Muhammad Bozdar told The News that initial inquiry regarding corruption of millions of rupees in Sindh Textbook Board has been conducted and recommendations sent to ACC-1 for open inquiry.

Bozdar concluded that all the corrupt officers will face the action. 

Sindh Education Department Additional Secretary Syed Zakir Shah said he was not involved in any kind of corruption. He said the inquiry is a conspiracy against him and as a carrier officer he could not imagine corrupt practices.

He said according to the content of initial inquiry, his predecessor chairman was on the position of making decisions and he is unaware of why his name is mentioned in inquiry report.

“I am a carrier officer and never could imagine being the part of any illegal and corrupt practice and after inquiry all things will be clear and responsible officers will be detected. Impartial inquiry should be conducted,” concluded Shah.

Rind, the former chairman, told The News that he was not guilty of any offence and initial inquiry report of the Anti-Corruption proves his innocence. “The fraud happened in the period of Shah that’s why his name is mentioned in papers,” added Rind.