KARACHI: The National Acco­untability Bureau-Karachi has recommended disciplinary action against 11 officials, who were the investigating officers (IOs) of different cases, for failing to come to work during the ongoing lockdown in the metropolis, it emerged on Monday.

NAB sources and official documents said that authorities had issued directions on March 30 asking “essential officers” in NAB-Karachi to attend their offices on a daily basis. However the 11 deputy directors and assistant directors allegedly remained absent from duties.

“Due to absence of officers from duties, the official work is badly affected in the investigation wing,” said a letter issued to the “absent” officers.

NAB-Karachi recommended the competent authority to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the 11 officials.

The officials have not been coming to work due to the lockdown and Covid-19 threat

However, sources familiar with this development told Dawn that the said IOs were unable to discharge their duties because the NAB chairman had prohibited entry of any outsider in NAB and due to the closure of all relevant departments of the Sindh government in the lockdown period.

They said that despite this one of the acting directors in NAB-Karachi had recommended the disciplinary action against the 11 officials, ignoring the fact that the IOs could not work on any investigations in the absence of relevant record and information from the Sindh government.

“It seems that NAB-Karachi has become ‘insensitive’ to the coronavirus and despite the notification of NAB chairman the directors are forcing their subordinates to attend office,” said an official wishing not to be named.

The sources said that neither any witness nor any accused persons can appear before NAB owing to the lockdown and movement restrictions, yet the officers had been forced to expose themselves to “unhealthy working conditions”.

The sources recalled that when Covid-19 related directions were issued there was allegedly no mention of any consideration given to the safety, health and well-being of NAB officials, risk of exposure or compliance with local/provincial authorities’ instructions on movement restrictions as well as no mention of exception to those above 50 years of age or having underlying medical conditions.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2020