Accounts official’s additional charge withdrawn

KARACHI: The Sindh Finance Department on Friday removed an officer of the District Accounts Office, Hyderabad from his additional charge in pension section.

‘The News’ on August 16, 2024 (Friday) pointed out the matter in a news story with the heading “Officer facing Rs3.2bn reference wears two hats”.

Earlier, the finance department assigned an additional position of Additional Accounts Officer-III (pension section) to Ashraf Janwri, Additional Accounts Officer-II, Hyderabad, the main accused in Rs3.2 billion in embezzlement and money laundering reference at the same branch of the District Accounts Office (DAO), Hyderabad.

The officer of the Sindh Finance Department, Ashraf Janwari, is facing a NAB reference at the Accountability Court, Karachi, along with his 84 other co-accused persons, in the corruption case of millions of rupees at the District Accounts Office, Hyderabad but he still posted at the same office, without proper departmental action.

In addition, the Sindh Finance Department did not take any action against another influential officer Naveed Bajari, who is co-accused in the same pension scam and is also facing allegations of alleged corruption, embezzlement, and money laundering.

On the other hand, no action has been taken regarding the irregular disbursement of an amount mainly in the head of food (dietary) of Rs149.49 million, a liability of the previous financial year disbursed to Sindh Prison Department by the District Accounts Office, Hyderabad.