Secretary Sports exonerated of funds transfer charges

PESHAWAR: Ahmed Hassan Khan, Secretary Sports Department, has been exonerated of the charges of transferring official funds to the account of the then provincial minister Sports, Mehmood Khan.
Ahmed Hassan was among the three senior officials of the Sports Department who were suspended by the chief minister on April 11, 2014 for transferring funds to the minister’s personal account.
The three officers were suspended in the light of an initial inquiry into the transfer of the provincial sports minister’s Rs1.8 million discretionary funds into his personal account.
The inquiry officer, Dr Hammad Awais Agha (BS-21), who is now additional chief secretary Planning and Development (P&D), however, cleared the minister by pointing out that prima facie Mehmood Khan had no role in the matter.
However, the chief minister on the advice of the chief secretary, issued suspension orders of Ahmad Hassan, director general (sports) Tariq Mehmood, and the drawing and disbursement officer at the directorate of sports Muhammad Tariq with immediate effect.
It was followed by disciplinary proceedings under the Efficiency and Disciplinary Rules against the three officers.
Later, the chief secretary formed an inquiry committee comprising Sahibzada Saeed Ahmed (PAS BS-22), the then secretary Energy and Power and Muhammad Akbar Khan, the then secretary Irrigation Department, to probe the charges against Ahmed Hassan.
The inquiry, according to the notification issued by the office of the chief secretary, examined the charges, evidence and personal explanation of the accused officer and submitted its report.
The chief secretary, who is the competent authority in the matter, considered the charges, evidence on record and defense offered by the accused officer during the personal hearing.
Exercising his authority under Rule-14 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2011, the chief secretary exonerated Ahmed Hassan, who is now secretary Auqaf and Hajj Department, of the charges in the case.