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Friday March 29, 2024

Sindh anti-corruption department springs into action

Karachi: After the decisive and conclusive actions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Sindh Rangers, the Sindh anti-corruption department has sprung into action with massive action against corruption in the province. Well-placed sources told The News that the Law Enforcing Agencies (LEA) have shared initial

By Imdad Soomro
August 31, 2015
Karachi: After the decisive and conclusive actions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Sindh Rangers, the Sindh anti-corruption department has sprung into action with massive action against corruption in the province.
Well-placed sources told The News that the Law Enforcing Agencies (LEA) have shared initial findings of an important case of terror financing through land grabbing and China cutting of state lands and properties with the Sindh anti-corruption department and asked it to take further action on legal lines.
Sources further added that a high-level Joint Investigation Board (JIB) was formed comprising officers of Sindh Rangers, representatives of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Sindh Board of Revenue and after initial inquiry the issue has been handed over to the Sindh anti-corruption department for further action. Many other cases will also be handed over to the provincial anti-corruption body.
Contents of the JIB report suggested that leaders/workers of political parties, government officers, some private persons, incumbent and former provincial ministers and some high-profile political personalities are involved in China cutting and terror financing.
On the other hand the Sindh anti-corruption department has focused its attention on the affairs of provincial irrigation, education and local government departments as well as the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB).
In an official letter to chief minister Sindh (copy available with The News) the department has said it conducted 34 raids, 22 surprise visits to government offices, made 4 arrests, lodged 72 First Information Reports (FIRs), and opened 209 inquiries besides arresting 52 officials of the Sindh Government.
At the same time the department also admitted its unsatisfactory performance for the last many years and the involvement of its officers in malpractices. The official letter however claimed that the department is improving its performance day by day.
Chairman of the Sindh anti-corruption department Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah told The News, “We are trying to address the problems and improving our performance, and we have achieved a lot of success”.