Rs59m embezzled by Lyari Development Authority officials

KARACHI: Director General Lyari Development Authority (LDA) Iqbal Memon with collaboration of Authority’s Director Finance Suhailullah embezzled Rs59 million from official account.
Both officers have withdrawn the amount through an account of a fake company in which the amount was deposited by them fraudulently.The LDA, a sub-organisation of Sindh Local Government Department, was established in 1993 for the extraordinary development of Lyari, the stronghold of Pakistan People’s Party.
According to the official documents available with ‘The News’ DG Iqbal Memon and Director Finance Suhailullah opened the account in a local bank in the name of a fake contractor company ‘Jaffar and Co’ and four cheques for different amounts totalling Rs59 millionwere deposited in the account and then the lump sum money was withdrawn.
It is pertinent to mention that the DG and Director Finance are the authority for the disbursement of any amount from the Authority’s account as DG is principal signatory and director finance is co-signatory, and in this case the four cheques were also singed by both officers.
After the notice of the higher authorities about the said fraud, DG Memon and Director Suhaillah deposited Rs40 million in the official account.The Sindh government only transferred both officers from their seats without mentioning their fraud and corruption and did not take appropriate action against them, resultantly DG Memon challenged the decision in the Sindh High Court and succeeded to get the restrain order regarding his transfer.
According to Rules of Business and Laws of Sindh Government, matter of this huge corruption should be referred to Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment Department for further inquiry but in this case the Sindh government and concerned department, Sindh Local Government Department, seemed lenient to the both the officers responsible for the corruption.
Iqbal Memon while talking to The News acknowledged the issue but refused to discuss the details. “Only finance department of my office can provide you the details on this matter,” he said.
Abdul Kabir Qazi, Secretary Local Government Department LDA, was not ready to speak. He was also sent questions on his cell phone but he avoided to respond.Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, Secretary Information Zulifqar Shahliani also avoided despite calling on their cell phones and text messages. They were simply asked by ‘The News’ as to why the Sindh government avoided sending case against Iqbal Meon to Sindh Anti-Corruption Department, FIA or NAB.A fax was sent at the official fax number of Secretary Local Government Abdul Kabir Qazi but no version was received.