Govt finds former DG PWD untraceable

ISLAMABAD: It has become almost impossible (at least on papers) for the government to trace an ex-Director General of Pak Public Works Department, who is facing corruption cases in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and many inquiries worth billions of rupees are pending against him in the Ministry of Housing and Works as neither does the said official receive any letter from the ministry nor does he respond to the show cause notice issued to him through newspapers.
The documents available with ‘The News’ reveal that Shah Din Sheikh, ex-DG PWD (under suspension) who is facing a corruption reference in NAB and is facing inquiry on multiple corruption charges upon orders of the Prime Minister is neither approachable for the Ministry of Housing and Works nor is receiving the charge sheets and show cause notices served on him. Moreover, Shah Din Sheikh despite being in service of Pakistan has not been attending the office since August 18, 2014. Even Housing and Works Secretary Shahrukh Arbab had to issue a show cause notice in the national newspapers against Shah Din Sheikh asking him why major penalty of dismissal from service may not be imposed on him after he has been found guilty of causing a loss of worth Rs179.05 million and Rs381.18 million to the national exchequer with regard to development scheme “construction of Musakhail-Taunsa Road Stretch to be constructed and linked with Zhob”. The show cause notice that appeared in newspapers also reads, “You (Shah Din Sheikh) also committed serious financial irregularities, administrative lapses, corruption and corrupt procedure in the award of financial sanctions of defected estimates and award of HVAC and lift work of Federal Judicial Academy.” The ex-DG was intimated through the newspaper advertisement that neither was he receiving the show cause notices nor was attending the office. He was given 14 days to respond but to no avail.
The documents reveal that of late the PM appointed Secretary Aviation Muhammad Ali Gardezi to hold an inquiry into the corruption allegations against Mr Sheikh but despite numerous attempts the ex-DG could not be approached. A latest letter issued by the Ministry of Housing and Works to the Secretary Aviation dated 30th January 2015 says that Shah Din Sheikh is not attending the office therefore the charge sheet has been served on his permanent address in Lahore but the same has been returned with the remarks, “The person has refused to receive the charge sheet”.
The charge sheet served on ex-DG PWD contains a long list of allegations which include committing serious financial irregularities, corruption and corrupt practices by abetting the fraud of tempering and enhancing the rate quoted by the lowest bidder after opening of tenders and awarding the work at high rates for personal gains in construction of road Dhata Kot, UC Dalwal to Karyala District Chakwal (NA-60) and has put the public exchequer to a loss of Rs5.75 billion as also pointed out in special audit report for the year 2012-13. While posted as Chief Engineer North Pak PWD, Shah Din Sheikh has also been accused of awarding projects worth Rs3.752 billion in violation of rules. While posted as Chief Engineer North, Sheikh is alleged to have committed serious financial irregularities, fraud, cheating and violation of PPRA rules as well as Pak PWD code and embezzled funds by making bogus payments to the contractor i.e. without execution or partly execution of works at sites which eventually has caused financial loss of Rs145.23 million to public exchequer in development schemes in NA-51. Similarly in two other development schemes in NA-51 Gujjar Khan, Shah Din Sheikh has also been accused of embezzling Rs141 million, as mentioned in the charge sheet issued by the Secretary Aviation to the ex-DG PWD.