Unauthorised development work at IG office

KARACHI: In an unprecedented development in the history of Sindh province, the Sindh Anti-graft body the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has initiated an inquiry into the alleged corruption and irregularities in the development works of Central Police Office (CPO) Sindh commonly known as the IG office at Karachi.

Notices have been issued by ACE authorities to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations of Sindh Police for submission of record of development works carried out at the CPO during former IGP Dr. Kaleem Imam’s last six month period. The ACE sources informed that after obtaining record, a notice would be issued to former IGP Dr. Kaleem Imam who had allegedly assigned the development work of his office to some blue-eyed contractors without tendering the process, in violation of the rules. Interestingly, the action was taken on February 28 and the very next day removal of Dr. Imam was officially announced. Mostly headed by Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) and provincial service groups officers, Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) always remained soft towards senior officers of the aforementioned groups specially Police officers, but this time action was taken against the Central Police Office which serves as the police headquarters. Some circles believe that the action is the result of the scuffle between former IGP Kaleem Imam and the Sindh ruling party leaders but the anti-corruption authorities claim the merits of the case alone have warranted the inquiry.

A senior officer of the Sindh government told The News on the condition of annonymity that the main focus of the action was former IGP Dr. Kaleem Imam who got the work carried out at his office at the fifth floor without allegedly inviting tenders through some specially picked contractors. The ACE is compiling the relevant record and once that is done a formal notice would be issued to ex IGP, Dr. Kaleem. However on the other hand some senior police officers of Sindh police are trying to hush-up the issue and pressurising the Sindh Anti-Corruption not to carryout the inquiries, but sources added that provincial government is determined for action. On February 28, a surprise visit was conducted by Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) East Zone Karachi team headed by Assistant Director Zahid Hussain and Officer Zahoor Illahi at Central Police Office. The ACE team checked the development works carried out in CPO and seized the pictorial evidence. Following the visit, a notice has been issued by ACE to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations of Sindh Police, to produce the relevant record of the development work. Sources claimed that the main focus of the ACE team's inquiry was the development work carried out at the fifth floor, the area dedicated to the top Police officer’s office.

According to the sources of Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment, the proceedings were started after the complaints that beautification and uplift works were already carried out in CPO in violation of rules. The ACE found that tenders were only floated to cover up the process on January 30, 2020 which appeared in dailies by the time the work had already completed, according to ACE sources. For further proceedings, the development engineer and relevant officers were put under notice for appearance along with record by March 9, 2020.

The Sindh government has also objected to posting an engineer and DIG Finance in the CPO. A senior officer of Sindh government was of the view that when ‘Works and Services Department’ exists in province, there is no provision and room of posting an engineer in Police Department for development work and similarly, there is no provision of posting DIG Finance either as the Finance Department works separately under the provincial government. This reporter tried to get the official version of the ACE officers on the issue but no officer was prepared to talk on record despite calling at their cell numbers and leaving messages. This reporter also approached former IGP Sindh Dr. Imam but till the filing of this story, he also did not respond to the allegations.