KARACHI: The provincial authorities have informed the Sindh High Court that more than 480 officers from different departments have entered into the voluntary return scheme with the National Accountability Bureau in corruption cases, it emerged on Monday.

According to a compliance report filed by the secretary for the Services, General Administration and Coordination Department (SGA&CD) in the SHC, the school education and literacy department tops the list with its 311 officers/employees having entered into the voluntary return scheme.

The report was submitted in compliance with an earlier SHC order. It had also ruled that those officials who had entered into the voluntary return scheme and made payments should not hold respective public offices till finalisation of the departmental proceedings initiated against them.

The report further said that the relevant departments were directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings. The last such report was filed in May, adding that the order was being implemented by the departments concerned.

It further submitted that 50 officers of the local government, 27 of irrigation, 26 of food, 15 each of finance and works and services departments had also entered into the voluntary return scheme.

Major penalties were imposed on four and minor punishments on 16 while 27 had retired or expired in the school education and literacy department and proceedings were pending against 264, it added.

However, no detail about the action taken against the officers of the local government was available in the report while major penalties were imposed on 11 and minor punishments on five officers of the irrigation department and proceedings pending against seven while four had either retired or expired.

Similarly, major penalties were imposed on 17 and minor punishments on eight officers of the food department and one proceeding was pending while 17 had either retired or expired.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2019