KARACHI: An accountability court has indicted seven accused persons, including officials of the Sindh Workers Welfare Board and Board of Revenue, in a case pertaining to alleged corruption through purchase of land to set up a labour colony.

The accused — including Syed Matloob Hussain, Ali Sher Mirani, Kamos Gull Khattak, Khawaja Shujjat Hussain, Mohammad Zubair Motiwala, Moham­mad Sajid and Muzaffar Ali Shah — have been charged with purchasing around 200 acres of land for the labour colony at higher rates.

The accountability court-II judge read out the charges against the accused persons on Saturday. They pleaded not guilty and opted to contest; Mirani was produced from prison while others appeared on bail.

The court summoned the witnesses to record their testimonies on the next date and adjourned the hearing.

The National Accountability Bureau had booked the officers and officials of the Sindh Workers Welfare Board and the Sindh Board of Revenue as well as some private persons in connection with an inquiry initiated in 2016 into the alleged land scam.

The federal anti-graft watchdog alleged that the accused had purchased the land at higher rates than the market value. It further alleged that the accused persons caused losses to the national exchequer worth millions of rupees.

It may be recalled that a former director of the Workers Welfare Board, Mohammad Saleem, died during the inquiry.

According to the prosecution, Syed Matloob Hussain and Kamos Gull Khattak are officials of the Sindh Workers Welfare Board; Ali Sher Mirani is the former deputy district officer (revenue) while Khawaja Shujjat Hussain and Mohammad Zubair Motiwala were the private persons and representatives in the board.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2018