QUETTA: Balochistan government on Monday suspended the secretary Balochistan Assembly over alleged misuse of power in appointments for the assembly secretariat.

According to a notification issued by the assembly secretariat, Muhammad Azam Davi was suspended from service over irregularities and violation of merit while employing at least 30 officials in assembly secretariat.

The notification stated that along with these 30 officials, Davi had also appointed his son in grade-18 as deputy secretary in the assembly secretariat. The document added that Davi "completely bypassed the selection committee in terms of appointments".

Sources in assembly told DawnNews that Davi also appointed relatives of four members of provincial assembly in violation of merit along with some people from highly influential families.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also taken notice of the illegal appointments and directed the suspended secretary to present himself for inquiry, a NAB official informed DawNews.

Earlier this month, NAB officials recovered more than Rs730 million from the residence of Balochistan Finance Secretary Mushtaq Ahmed Raisani, who was arrested on suspicion of embezzling billions of rupees from local government development funds.

Around Rs730 million worth of currency and prize bonds were recovered from the serving bureaucrat's residence.