May 25, 2006	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 26, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, May 24: The People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) has filed a reference in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim for allegedly allotting to his followers expensive residential and commercial plots in Defence Housing Authority, Karachi, at throwaway prices.

According to a PPP spokesman, the reference has been filed by Chaudhry Advocate Mohammad Aslam on behalf of the party.

In the reference, the PPP has alleged that 25 plots, each worth over Rs10 million, were allotted to government officials and provincial legislators at Rs400,000 to Rs500,000 each.

The allottees, the reference says, include Sikander Kerio, principal secretary to the chief minister; Mohammad Ali Arain, special secretary to the CM; Ghulam Sarwer Sarki, additional secretary to Chief Minister Arbab Attaullah, DS staff to the CM; Maqsood Ghumro, additional private secretary to the CM; Ali Raza, personal staff officer (PSO) to the CM, Aijaz Shaikh; APSO; Khashkhali, a deputy secretary; Jahangir Mirza, inspector-general police, Sindh; Fayaz Leghari, DIG police; Mazher Shaikh, DIG operations, Hyderabad police; Abdullah Shaikh, DPO Badin; Fazal Rehman, chief secretary Sindh, Shah Mansoor Alam, secretary services; Nazar Hussain Maher, secretary implementation; Makhumddin Qadari, secretary agriculture; MPA Afshan Imran, Ayub Shaikh, member Sindh Services Tribunal, and an officer of the Sindh Textbook Board.

It has been pleaded in the reference that if there is a quota in the Defence Housing Authority Scheme for the Sindh government, then balloting should have been held to allot plots to genuine, honest and dedicated officers.

The reference says: “Based on the above facts and grounds, the respondent has shown wilful indulgence in corrupt practices under Section 9 of the Ordinance. Such a person is subject to punishment under Section 10 of the NAB Ordinance 1999.”