70 KPT employees axed on charges of terrorism, fake degrees

KARACHI: At least 70 employees of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) from Grade 1 to 18 have been terminated from service on charges of terrorist activities and possessing fake degrees. 

According to the documentary evidence available with The News, nearly 50 employees of different grades were arrested by Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs) during the ongoing Karachi targeted operation and they confessed to heinous crimes and terrorist activities. The KPT management after completing formalities terminated their services.  

Well-placed KPT sources told The News that during different internal inquiries police and other security agencies provided criminal record of many employees along with the cases registered against them.

Some 1,200 employees were hired in last two governments without fulfilling the codal formalities, advertisement, mandatory tests and interviews, added sources. A high level inquiry to verify the legal status of these employees ordered by the prime minister is also under way, said the sources.   

According to the documents, a Grade 18 officer of Public Relations section was terminated when his degree proved bogus during the verification process while at least five Grade 17 officers were also among those fired on the same account.