MULTAN: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has recommended that a reference against former Multan Development Authority director general Agha Ali Abbas and others officers should be forwarded to the secretary Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Department to initiate departmental proceedings under the Punjab Employees Efficiency Discipline and Accountability Act 2006.

According to an official report which has been forwarded to the ACE director general by the Multan office, an inquiry was approved by the competent authority over the complaint of Muhammad Shabir Anjum on Oct 28, 2020.

The complainant alleged that a 1.86 kanal commercial plot in Block B of Model Town was sold to Ejaz Hussain at the rate of Rs4.45 million per million despite the fact earlier the auction of another plot in the same housing scheme was rejected at the rate of Rs7.2 million.

He also alleged that the plot was meant for establishment of a disposal station and being a utility plot its status as a commercial plot could not be changed.

He alleged that although the district price committee was authorised to assess the value of the plot, the MDA officers asked the Director Excise and Taxation Multan on June 26, 2020 to assess the prices.

In his findings, inquiry officer Muhammad Amir stated that a disposal station falls within ‘service’ category and was not an amenity or public building. He stated that the main point offered by the MDA officers and officials was that the conversion and auction of the plot was carried out in the best financial interests of the MDA.

“With no plausible justification, the reserve price was slashed down and fixed at a rate of Rs4 million per marla and the officers who proposed this reserve price may be proceeded against efficiency and disciplinary rules by their respective authorities,” he stated.

He stated that ‘a detailed and objective assessment of reserve price, keeping in view the previous years, auctions and excellent location of the plot is a sine qua non for the whole process’.

He stated that a proper approval from the governing body of the MDA after legal and codal formalities was necessary while a transparent and open competitive without any semblance of collusion/pooling by bidders may lead to substantial financial gains to the MDA than the presently ordered auction price.

He recommended that a reference against DG MDA Agha Ali Abbas, former director estate and land management Salahuddin, former director town planning Chaudhry Khalid Javed, deputy director estate management Rimsha besides abating the proceedings against former additional director general/director finance and admin late Muhammad Anwar.

ACE Director Haidar Abbas Wattoo said the recommendations had been forwarded to the DG ACE for approval.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2021