September 14, 2008	Sunday	Ramazan 13, 1429

THATTA, Sept 13: An official inquiry committee has detected large-scale misappropriation of funds for a number of development schemes carried out in Shah Bundar taluka under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme (KPP), according to reliable sources on Saturday.

The four-member inquiry team with EDO of works Shafique Khumbati as head and Jati TMO Munir Mangi, taluka officer of infrastructure Nadeem Shah and Sujawal DDO of revenue Mohammad Khan Jarwar as members inspected the development sites and then submitted a report, which pointed out the funds misappropriation.

Former provincial minister and MPA Mohammad Usman Malkani confirmed that work on six schemes under KPP had not been carried out as per specifications and alleged that the contactors had embezzled a huge amount.

An official on the inquiry committee who requested not to be named also confirmed reports of misappropriation of funds.

Special funds of Rs25 million had been released by the federal government under KPP following a move by the then minister of state for agriculture and livestock Mohammad Ali Malkani for carrying out development works in his constituency NA-238.

The work on construction of six metallic roads from Chuch Jehan Khan to Allah Bachayo Shaikh village, Chuhar Jamali-Sattan Wah, Chuch Jehan Khan-Haji Shafi village and a number of other schemes had been awarded to contractors Gul Hassan Shah, a close relative of a sitting woman MPA of PPP, and Dr Roop Chand of Kohistan Enterprises.

The contractors manipulated the schemes in connivance with officials concerned by laying a layer of stones on some of the katcha roads, which were recently constructed under the Citizen Community Board at a cost of Rs700,000.

The TMO of Shah Bunder who refused to release payments to the contractors had been twice transferred and replaced by private secretary to provincial minister for food Illahi Bux Chachoo.

Sources said that the new TMO had released the final payment of Rs15.176 million to the contractors despite the fact that many schemes were still lying incomplete.

PPP MPA Humera Alwani, chairman of Delta Development Organisation Shafi Marghar and a number of heads of NGOs working for the development of coastal areas demanded that the government order an inquiry by honest officers into the embezzlement of KPP funds.

Ms Alwani said that she would raise the issue on the floor of Sindh Assembly.

Members of general public and civil society leaders have criticised the loot and plunder of national exchequer and demanded a thorough inquiry into all the development scheme carried out in the district during last nine years.