Sindh bureaucracy has been asked to declare its assets and account for excess accumulation of wealth, if any. Officials in charge in the Services and General Administration Department told Business Recorder on Tuesday that despite it being a regular exercise many officers do not file their assets statements regularly.
It is estimated that some officers are worth millions and they own more than 20 percent of the prime properties in Urban Sindh. Ownership of agriculture properties is in addition. They said that filing of assets statement is mandatory and it includes moveable and immovable assets of wives/husbands, children and all other dependents of the official filing the statement compulsorily.
They said that sensitive agencies have taken notice of officers living beyond means and in such areas where purchasing a piece of land had always remained difficult. "Today a plot of land measuring 500 sq yds in DHA means more than 20 million rupees and many of us own such pieces of land."
They said that some officials recently appointed were reported to have acquired wealth beyond their means. The Inquiry Wing of the Services and General Administration Department has a large number of inquiries pertaining to corruption pending finalisation. "More than 5000 inquiries of different nature are estimated to be pending disposal."
They said that many accused are now dead, many have retired and many have left the country for good. They said that usually the corrupt officials are politically well connected and put pressure to postpone/defer or altogether to abandon pending inquires. Sources said that the Chief Secretary is in the know of things and would submit a complete report to the Chief Minister shortly.
They said that barring a few officers, DCOs are being probed into for faulty decisions, award of contracts and yielding to political pressure. EDOs Revenue and police officials follow them. Next in the line are the officials of excise and taxation department.
They said that if a petty official of PMDC, which is not a provincial organisation, can settle his freedom after paying Rs 60 million in plea-bargain to NAB the assets of some of the high officials in government department facing inquiry can be easily estimated.
They said that Sindh Chief Minister has directed officials to point out corrupt officials and frame charges against them. In a directive, the Chief Minister has asked the Inquiry Wing of the provincial government and the anti-corruption department to prepare a schedule of disposing of pending inquires so that the fate of officials may be decided one way or the other. A summary in this regard was being prepared, to be placed before the provincial cabinet, in its next meeting.
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