MANSEHRA: The anti-corruption establishment has initiated an inquiry into the alleged corruption in the Abbottabad district jail.

“We have begun looking into the charges against the former Abbottabad jail superintendent of chopping down the centuries old trees before embezzling its money,” Hazara ACE assistant director Zahidur Rehman told reporters here on Tuesday.

Over 300 prisoners of Abbottabad district jail have been kept in the Mansehra district jail for many years due to the demolition of the former for developing dangerous cracks in the 2005 earthquake.

In Nov 2017, the prisoners were shifted to Abbottabad jail from Mansehra prison. At that time, the then jail superintendent, Najam Hussain Abbasi, reportedly ordered the cutting of over 91 pine and deodar trees and embezzled the money generated by its sale.

The funds embezzlement came to light after contractor Mohammad Nisar, who had chopped down the trees, submitted an invoice of Rs127,000 to jail superintendent Maqsood Khan, who forwarded it to the provincial inspector general of prison and anti-corruption establishment for inquiry.

Sources said assistant directors Nasir Bangash and Sakhawat Shah visited the jail and met contractor Mohammad Nisar for out-of-court settlement.

CAVE PRESERVATION: The Kaghan Development Authority has written a letter to the archeology department seeking its permission for acquiring an ancient cave in Naran for preservation. The cave is associated with the mythical romance of Prince Saiful Muluk with a fairy in Naran, the commercial hub of Kaghan valley.

“We have written a letter to the archeology department for permission to acquire a piece of land with an ancient cave and traces of ancient buildings,” KDA inspector Mohammad Haroon told Dawn.

He said the people were busy constructing buildings at the ancient site and therefore, some locals formally requested the deputy commissioner of Mansehra for intervention to preserve the cave and traces of ancient buildings.

The official said the KDA would set up a family park at the site. He said the government wanted to preserve the site to turn it into a tourist attraction.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2018