Numan Wahab
LAHORE: Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab initiated an internal investigation into one of its regional directors over the allegations of massive corruption and shocking wrongdoings, The News has learnt.
Besides initiating the internal investigation against its Regional Director Gujranwala Division, Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) also made the officer OSD. Sheikh Farid Ahmed, former PMS and a officer in BS-18 has been transferred over massive corruption charges and was asked to report to Services and General Administration Department for further orders through a notification dated April 1, No.SI.2-2/2019. The News has leant that Farid Ahmad has been transferred in the light of an inquiry report, copy of which is available with The News, prepared by the secretary internal security levelling massive corruption charges on Farid Ahmad.
The report was forwarded to ACE DG and Divisional Commissioner Gujranwala on March 18. After which the government directed Farid to report S&GAD. The inquiry report alleged that Sheikh Farid Ahmed was involved in corruption and malpractices of grave nature.
The report stated that various inquiries carried out by other officers of ACE Gujranwala to unearth corruption of various personnel of other departments have either been closed by Sheikh Farid or not finalised by him for allegedly taking bribe from the accused corrupt elements. The report said that AD Technical ACE, Gujranwala Nadeem Ibrar in an inquiry report exposed mega corruption in Wasa but Sheikh Farid allegedly received Rs2 million from Wasa officials and gave them clean chit.
Not only this, when Nadeem Ibrar resisted on it, he got the AD transferred to Lahore region declaring him an incompetent officer. The report stated that in recent past allegedly on the behest of Sheikh Farid ACE Gujranwala initiated action against PHA officials on bogus complaints of touts (who were patronised by Farid Ahmad).
The report said Farid Ahmad was habitual of initiating inquiries on bogus complaints of his touts against officers of different departments, which, he closed after some time on receiving bribe of about Rs2/3 lakh from the victim officers through his alleged front man Assistant Director Qasim.
The report alleged that Sheikh Farid deliberately kept an inquiry No 710/17 relating to a tender of Head Khanki Barrage awarded by Irrigation Department to a private company pending for one-and-a-half years and demanded Rs10 million from accused officers to conclude the inquiry.
However, the project manager and other officers of the company, who were foreigners, refused to pay the bribe money. At last, Sheikh Farid forwarded the inquiry to ACE Headquarters, Lahore. Similarly, Sheikh Farid allegedly filed an inquiry related to construction of a road on Muridke-Narowal section after receiving a bribe of Rs20 million. Moreover, as per sources, the report said that Sheikh Farid enjoyed good relations with the journalist community of Gujranwala and often extended them out of the way favours. In order to manage news stories in his favour on the media, Farid used to bribe local reporters. The report has levelled severe allegations on the character and conduct of Sheikh Farid Ahmad ranging from taking bribe from housing societies, Gujranwala Development Authority and other departments.
The report concluded that the above narrated allegations against Director ACE Gujranwala Sheikh Farid Ahmad and his front man AD ACE Gujranwala Qasim are of very serious nature and bringing a bad name to the government which is taking all possible measures to eradicate menace of corruption from the society. Therefore, there is a need to carry out an inquiry into conduct, corruption and wrongdoings of Director ACE Gujranwala and his favourites by a team comprising of senior officials headed by an officer not less than the rank of additional secretary. Given the nature of allegations, the Director ACE Gujranwala may be closed to the S&GAD until the completion of the inquiry.
The government after receiving initial report has transferred Sheikh Farid to S&GAD.
Additional DG ACE Abdul Rabb while talking to The News confirmed the transfer of Sheikh Farid Ahmad. Talking about the future of Sheikh Farid, he said that a departmental inquiry would be conducted against the officer and on the recommendations of that inquiry further action would be taken.