Punjab govt to take action against MCR officials after Eid

Rawalpindi: The Punjab government has decided to take strict action against officers of Metropolitan Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) Infrastructure and & Services (I&S) department for their alleged role in spending Rs2.075 billion on the recarpeting of roads that were already in fine condition after Eidul Fitr.

Punjab government has also directed to include the names of all such officers in the Exit Control List (ECL) to stop them from running abroad, key post officers on condition of anonymity told ‘The News’ here on Sunday.

The Chief Engineer (Technical) Punjab Khalid Hussaini told ‘The News’ that he would never spare corrupt officers at any cost. “I have started an investigation about this serious issue as to why MCR initiated work on the re-carpeting of roads that were already in fine condition in Rawalpindi. Don’t worry, people of Rawalpindi will get results, he assured.

The key-post officers on condition of anonymity told ‘The News’ that the Punjab government has decided to include the names of corrupt officers in ECL because last time when NAB was investigating embezzlement in the construction of a corporation building. Two main offices of the Infrastructure & Services (I&S) department were involved. One officer ran away to Canada because he was a Canadian Nationality Holder while another officer named Sheikh Sarfraz was dismissed from service on the occasion, the officers said. The officers also said that Canadian National Holders managed all issues in his favour and returned to Pakistan and ruling here in government departments in Rawalpindi since 1992. The Canadian National Holder Town Officer (TO) Infrastructure and Services (I&S) Rafaqat Gondal was posted here in Rawalpindi division since 1992, the officers claimed.

It is worth mentioning here that this corrupt practice of ‘re-carpeting of roads’ was continued for years. Every year, government officers start re-carpeting of roads that were already in fine condition. It was pointed out many a times but nobody takes any kind of notice against it, resulting in billions of rupees been pocketed by corrupt government officers and contractors.

The Metropolitan Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) private contractors told ‘The News’ that majority of contractors were ready to get this work but Infrastructure and Services department was demanding 40 per cent ‘Commission’ in this project of re-carpeting of roads that were already in fine condition.

The Town Officer (TO) Infrastructure & Services Rafaqat Gondal through a ‘Voice Message’ to Chief Engineer (Technical) Punjab Khalid Hussaini said that all were ‘blackmailing’ him. All were demanding money to remain silent, I have refused to provide them money, therefore, such kinds of stories are being published, Rafaqat Gondal said to Chief Engineer (Technical) Punjab through his ‘Voice Message’.

The key post officers also claimed that MCR corrupt officers were fully trying to ‘manage’ this serious issue but in vain because neither Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Aamir Khattak nor Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hasan Waqar Cheema were cooperating with them. Both officers knew that this issue was a serious corruption issue and nobody gave any kind of approval to start re-carpeting roads that were already in fine condition. The officers also said that local political leadership which was very close to MCR corrupt officers at that time was also not cooperating to ‘suppress’ this corruption issue.