PML-N Senator Hafiz Karim acquitted in corruption cases

MULTAN: Special Judge Anti-Corruption Multan Asif Majeed Awan acquitted PMLN Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim and three Multan Development Authority (MDA) officers in corruption cases.

An inquiry, conducted by MDA, declared him guilty. Earlier in the court, Hafiz Abdul Karim, MDA Deputy Director Sheikh Iqbal, Assistant Director Shahid Anwar Majeed and Building Inspector Tauqeer Abbas had filed a writ petition through Council Sheikh Jamshed Hayat for their acquittal.

According to Anti-Corruption, a case was registered against Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim on November 12, 2016 that he illegally built City Plaza on Khanewal Road and a housing scheme in violation of rules with the connivance of MDA officials in 2007. Judicial action was passed against him on the charge of damaging the public exchequer and non-payment of dues with the connivance of MDA officials.

The plan for the six-storey city plaza was approved on April 25, 2007. Senator Karim paid Rs20,000 fee of NOC, Rs859,332 for scrutiny of the map and Rs83,144 for approval of the map through bank challan.

When the construction work of the plaza started after clearance, the work was stopped on May 23, 2009 on the objection that the map was not approved by the High Level Design Committee and finally the construction was allowed after depositing Rs517,100. Subsequently, on January 8 and 10, 2011, the MDA again issued notice that the building was being constructed in excess of the approved height. The case was again referred to the High Level Design Committee, which approved the revised map after amendments.