MUZAFFARABAD: In continuation of its investigations on a reference filed by the government, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Ehtesab Bureau on Wednesday arrested two officers of the AJK fisheries department for their alleged involvement in fiscal irregularities, embezzlement and misuse of powers.

Director Ch Mohammad Razzaq and assistant director Sakhiuz Zaman were arrested from Mirpur and Muzaffarabad in connection with award of fishing contract of Mangla dam and non-payment of liabilities by the contractor.

Both were remanded in the custody of Ehtesab Bureau until September 6, according to a handout issued by the bureau’s spokesman Yasir Arafat.

Raja Mohammad Arshad and Munshi Mohammad Nazir who were jointly executing the contract were apprehended by the bureau on Tuesday.

Mr Razzaq and Mr Zaman were chairman and member, respectively, of the committee that had awarded the three-year fishing contract in September 2013 against Rs 161.2 million.

According to the handout, Raja Arshad was a defaulter of fisheries department with a default amount of Rs5.9 million, but nevertheless the contract was awarded to Munshi Nazir, his employee against a monthly salary of Rs12,000.

The contractor deposited 10pc Call Deposit (Rs11 million) at the time of award of contract, but the department neither received 40pc bid money nor 20pc advance instalment from him, the handout said.

Under the terms of license, the contractor was bound to deposit Rs53.7 million in the first year, but he deposited only Rs17.5 million.

The department again issued licence for 2015-16 even though the contractor had not cleared his previous liabilities, amounting to Rs96.94 million, the handout said. According to the handout, on October 1, 2015, the contractor provided Rs100 million bank guarantee purported to have been issued by NIB Bank Mirpur branch to the department.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2016