The PPP-led government is reported to have decided to re-open anti-corruption inquiries against Liaquat Jatoi, who is accused of violating the Sindh government rules of business during his tenure as the provincial minister for finance.
He is accused of making illegal sanctions amounting to millions of rupees in the head of grant-in-aid, informed sources told Business Recorder here on Thursday. Liaquat Jatoi has recently joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after merging his party, Awami Itehad Party (AIP), in PML-N.
Sources said that the decision to move against Jatoi was taken during a high-level meeting held at Bilawal House a few days ago during Liaquat Jatoi's decision regarding the political merger was discussed. Initially, they said, inquiries, which had been initiated by the Anti-Corruption Establishment against the Liaqat Jatoi when he was sindh's minister for finance, excise and taxation (1993), would be re-opened.
Old inquiry documents obtained by Business Recorder showed that: Liaquat Jatoi had given more than Rs 8 million in violation of rules and regulations to people whom he personally knew. The report, titled 'Grant-in-Aid/Utilisation of Discretionary grants', stated that according to Sindh Ministers (Salaries/ Allowances and Privileges) Act, 1975, the discretionary grant for chief minister/ministers was provided in Section 6-A for the act. This section was amended in June 1991, hereafter the discretionary grant of Rs 50,000 was raised to Rs 100,000 annually and the accounts were to be audited by the AG Sindh.
The report quotes Liaquat Jokhio, a section officer of the finance department during Jatoi's tenure, as saying that he was the custodian of 61 cases of discretionary grants starting from May 4, 1992 to March 16, 1993. In all cases, summaries and notes were signed by then minister Liaquat Jatoi and other officials concerned and more than Rs 8 million was paid to various people, the report said. Another section officer, Akhter Hussein, said in his statement that Liaquat Jatoi had sanctioned Rs 2,337,559 out of budget for 14 cases of grant-in-aid.
The report cited Pir Bux Junejo, another section officer, as stating that the minister made outside the budget sanctions of Rs 16,62,360 in seven cases of grant-in-aid. In all cases the advice letters were issued by the minister which were endorsed by other sitting officials concerned.
Bagh Ali, another section officer, stated that Liaquat Jatoi made illegal appointments from Grade-4 to Grade-17. Despite the existence of departmental selection committee, Jatoi made a separate special committee for this purpose, the report added. Imtiaz Hussein Chandio, another section officer, stated that Liaquat Jatoi had sanctioned Rs 2,557,900 as grant-in-aid for the Cadet College, Petaro, and Rs 1,135,000 for other cases, the report further stated.
Syed Intazar Ahmed Jafferi, yet another section officer, stated that on November 28, 1991, Liaquat Jatoi entertained five applications of loans of his brother (Late) Aijaz Ali Jatoi, his wife Asma, and Dadan Chandio, the manager of Aijaz Jatoi, and others. He then marginally sanctioned Rs 100,000 to each applicant, report mentioned.
The report consists of more than 50 pages and carries many statements who had worked in the finance department when Liaquat Jatoi served as the provincial finance minister. It mentioned that evidence of all section officers and prima facie proved that Liaquat Jatoi had been sanctioning expenditure outside budget right from 1990-91 and he also transgressed the provision of law about grant-in-aid. His illegal orders were obeyed and implemented by officials concerned, ignoring the constitutional authority.