Inquiry against Agha Siraj: NAB writes letter to Sindh govt depts

KARACHI: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) initiated inquiry against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durani for alleged corruption, misusing of authority and illegal appointments as minister local government.

Agha Siraj Durani is under NAB custody in a matter of having assets beyond means.

According to the official correspondence of NAB with Sindh government’s different departments copies of which available with The News, Bureau not only initiated inquiry into over nine thousand alleged fake and illegal appointments in Sindh Local Government Department during his tenure as minister but also intensified inquiry into his assets.

According to the contents of the letter written to Secretary Local Government by Bureau, the competent authority has taken the cognizance of officers under the subject investigation, wherein officers of department and others prima facie involved in the commission of offences of corruption and corrupt practices inter alia by misusing their authority and making fake and illegal appointments in Local Government Department in Grade 1 to 15 during the period of 2011 to 2014. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the same letter asked the Sindh Local Government secretary to provide the details of hiring of some 9,500 employees of Grade 1 to 15 recruited in the department from 2011 to 2014 directly without fulfilling mandatory codal formalities; on the other hand Bureau approached different Revenue authorities and development authorities of province to provide the record of properties owned by Agha Siraj Durani, his sons, daughters, wives and other members of the family.

In an official letter, Umair Ahmed, Assistant Director of Bureau asked Secretary Local Government to direct Deputy Secretary (administration) of Department to appear before officer of NAB Javed Ahmed Khan, head of the Combined Investigation Team (CIT) for recording of his statement regarding the issue of alleged fake and illegal appointments along with the comprehensive report and certified record of the department on the subject.

Secretary Local Government was asked to bring the record of advertisement pertaining to recruitments, comprehensive report of salaries paid to the said nine thousand plus employees, rules of appointment in department along with relevant provisions of law and regulation, report regarding the approvals of appointment sought by minister local government or Sindh chief minister, record of interviews and examination process for the appointments, report regarding the role of minister local government, secretary, additional secretary, special secretary, deputy secretary and section officer with regard to the process of said appointments.

Agha Siraj Durani remained minister local government from 2008 to 2013, then in second tenure Awais Muzaffar was holding this portfolio and finally in 2014 charge of the department was handed over to Sharjeel Memon who is also behind the bars on different charges.

Apart from the investigation of NAB for alleged illegal and fake appointments in Sindh LG Department; Sindh Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT) in 2015 disclosed irregularities in appointing of these nine thousand plus employees in its report presented to Sindh chief minister.

In 2015 after the media reports of illegal appointments in Sindh LG Department, Sindh government appointed Nazeer Dhoon, member of Chief Minister Inspection Team (CMIT) as inquiry officer.

Mr Dhoon inquired into the matter and submitted a report to the Sindh chief minister and Secretary Local Government disclosing the scam of appointing nine thousand plus employees illegally in LG Department of Sindh government.

According to the report of Mr Dhoon a copy available with ‘The News’ discloses that the illegal appointments made on the directions of then powerful politicians with the collaboration of department’s officers started from 2009 and it reached peak in 2012.

Senior Pakistan People's Party leader Murtaza Wahab, Spokesman Sindh government told The News that recent correspondence of NAB for gathering evidence against Agha Siraj proved that NAB did not have any concrete evidence against him before arresting him. Mr Wahab added that this action of NAB proved mala fide intentions.

Mr Wahab concluded by saying that Agha Siraj is a politician and is under allegations of corruption not of terrorism which compelled NAB to arrest him without having or gathering evidence against him.