September 26, 2003	Friday	Rajab 28, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 25: Saleh Mohammad, a deputy director in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), became the first casualty of the Removal From Service Ordinance (special powers) 2000 when he was removed from service on Thursday.

The sacked official was facing charges of financial corruption, which created a liability amounting to Rs12.732 million against the authority.

A spokesman for the CDA said Mr Mohammad, who was posted as deputy director (civil) in the Parliament Lodges and hostel, was removed from service under section-1 of the ordinance.

“He was guilty of misconduct and corrupt practices and was issued show-cause notice on August 28, 2003,” the spokesman said.

He said Mr Mohammad had obtained approval in principle from the director-general (services) in 29 cases relating to maintenance works in the Parliament Lodges and government hostel without budgetary allocations and got the work done, creating the liability of Rs12.732 million against the authority.

“Mr Mohammad denied having issued any work order to any contractor and claimed that no work was actually done at the site and, therefore, no liability had been created against the CDA,” the spokesman added.

He said the sacked official was also given a personal hearing by the CDA chairman during which he reiterated that he had issued no work order. He claimed that the 29 cases had been added to the list as anticipated liability simply to get funds for execution of the works.

But the committee which carried out the preliminary inquiry in the case in its finding said the 29 claims were matured liabilities as the requisite codal formalities had been completed.

However, the spokesman added that the director Parliament Lodges had carried out physical checking of some of the works indicated in the list as to whether these had been executed or not and reported back that most of the works had been carried out at the site without issuing work orders.