October 10, 2006	Tuesday	Ramazan 16, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) leader Senator Enver Baig has expressed shock and dismay over what he said the increasing incidents of corruption involving high-ups and the government’s refusal to take action against them.

In a statement on Sunday, he said it was shocking that in spite of a serious charge-sheet of mass financial irregularities against the Crescent Standard Investment Bank (CSIB) by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), no action had been taken against those involved in the scam.

“The CSIB has recently been charge sheeted by the SECP for maintaining parallel books of accounts, investing in stock exchange share and real estate as against the rules, and named Crescent Group owners Anjum Saleem and Altaf Saleem, who is Erra chairman, as involved in the scam,” he said.

Mr Baig alleged that the regime shielded the accused as was evident from the fact that Mr Altaf Saleem was still continuing as head of Erra besides holding office of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Company.

He said he was surprised that Mr Altaf Saleem recently even gave a presentation to President Musharraf and the diplomatic corps on the performance of Erra.

“This was intended to give a message that the regime was not bothered about the SECP findings as long as the accused toed the line of the masters,” he said.

The PPP leader said according to reports a number of governments and international bodies were reluctant to extend any financial assistance for reconstruction in the earthquake-hit areas because of the allegations of corruption against the Erra chief.

He said corruption thrived under military dictatorship as was evident from the recent reports of the selling of Haj quotas in which the name of federal religious affairs minister also figured besides the sugar scandal in which several federal ministers were allegedly involved.